Pulling At Strings
by ForbiddenTreasures
Summary: Luna happens to witness an odd event one day. An event she'd never thought she'd see especially with someone like him...An event that sparked a domino chain of oddities...
1. A Rather Odd Sort Of Day

Pulling At Strings

**Chapter 1:** **A Rather Odd Sort of Day**

_- **Huh**, I don't own Harry Potter or Harry Potter related items. Weird, don't you think? -_

1**"Life doesn't throw me curve balls. It just hits me with the bat."**

xXxXx

Luna sat cross-legged on the oak stool as she peered into a rather large boring old text. McGonagall's assignments were always strife with complexity and boredom. Frankly it irked her.

She could be researching something far more intriguing. Like Snorcacks or Svetterys, but _no_, she was stuck doing an essay on the uses of glamour charms.

_Historical uses_, McGonagall made a point in telling her. In fact she'd kept her after school and specifically told her to only write about things she found in the library. Luna had turned in many assignments full of what others called _idiocies_ and things that had been disproved. Truthfully Luna only turned them into McGonagall so she could watch her transform through fits of rage. It was amusing.

Although she would never admit to doing it. But she took an amazing amount of pleasure in frustrating McGonagall, she enjoyed it so much, that quite often she butted in and expressed the most recent adages of the Quibbler and how they related to McGonagall's topic.

And McGonagall treated her like she was a three year-old who knew absolutely nothing.

But she knew quite a lot.

Contrary to popular belief, Luna Lovegood wasn't stupid.

She knew that a lot of the things her father's magazine talked about had been disproved time and time again, but it was fairly easy to believe in something.

Even the impossible.

Luna Lovegood never believed what other people told her without doing some research of her own. But she believed what she would even if all facts pointed the other way.

Sometimes a person just needed something to believe in.

Most people would tell you that Luna "Loony" Lovegood is as insane as they come, but what most people don't see, is that she's also the happiest person you'd ever met. The most unique, she was simply the most…_her_.

Luna started as she heard a noise from up ahead. She leaned forward and tired to peer through the incandescent darkness. Technically she was supposed to be in bed. But after much efforts Luna had decided to always do her assignments after hours. Where nobody could bother her. It was the only way she got some peace and quiet. Somewhere in the distance she could hear to voices arguing. She gathered up her books and followed the source. As she turned the corner she found the source of the noise.

She couldn't quite tell what the two where arguing about, but any fool with eyes could tell who they where. There was only one female in Hogwarts who had hair that red. Bright as fire. And there was only one male who was impeccably pale with silver-blonde hair. It was Ginny Weasley and Draco Malfoy. She leaned against the wall and watched as the scene unravelled. It was…_peculiar_ at best. Even without hearing the words, _the tones_ of their voices conveyed all. They were angry, but something…seemed off. Weasleys hated Malfoys and Malfoys hated Weasleys, yet they were speaking to each other in careful, measured, _warm_, tones. In between the frustration and anger written in their face there was also…_care_?

"Rather interesting people to watch aren't they?"

Luna jumped, dropping her books in the process as a smooth rich voice erupted behind her. Her books never did hit the floor though. A dark, slender hand caught them before they'd even made a noise. Luna turned hesitantly to see who had snuck up on her. He had long, slanting, light brown eyes, dark skin, and rather messy black hair. She'd never seen him before. "Who are you?"

He smiled wryly "I could ask" He held out her books toward her "the very same question."

Luna cocked her head. "I'm Luna."

xXxXx

Blaise watched the petite girl in front of him stare as if he were a new-found specimen. She had waist length, dirty-blonde hair, and rather large, impressionable oceanic eyes. He had never seen this beauty before. He was quite sure he had not. _Luna._ Her name sounded exquisite and unique. _Moon._ "Blaise. Pleasure to meet your acquaintance."

The beauty cocked her head as a few tendrils fell gracefully unto her pale face. "I like it. _Blaise_. It sounds eloquent."

He smiled and glanced at her books. She made no move to take them. Just stood there staring at him.

Truthfully the fact that a girl was staring at him shouldn't make him uncomfortable. He actually had tons of girls stare at him all day long, but something about her stare unnerved him. It wasn't bashful or sultry or suggestive. It was blank. The stares he received on a daily basis by girls (and some guys) were of lust. Of attraction. Unlike her stare that seemed to be analysing him. It was…_odd_.

It wasn't a bad feeling.

"I've never seen you before." She stated dreamily.

"I've seen you. Mostly around the little red-head over there." He answered pointing his finger in the direction of Ginny Weasley.

She glanced at them then turned back to face him "Aren't you a prefect?"

He grinned slightly "Head boy."

"Oh." She paused looking thoughtful "Aren't you going to take away points?"

"Why?"

"Because I'm out after hours?"

"So? I am as well. _They_ are as well. Why should I? That would only make me a hypocrite."

"But you have an excuse." She pointed out

"Well, then in that case I don't feel like taking any points."

The blonde cocked her head and stared at him oddly. "_Oo_kay." She paused for a second, and Blaise discovered something rather…odd. She hadn't blinked once since they began talking.

Or maybe he was just imagining things.

"Why is it interesting?"

Blaise blinked. "Why is what interesting?"

"You said they were interesting to watch. Why?"

Blaise blanked. "Er, who?"

The petite blonde rolled her eyes. "Them." She said jutting her thumb backwards in the direction of Ginny and Draco.

"Oh." He answered stupidly. "Watch them."

xXxXx

Luna turned sceptically; sure that Blaise was a little cuckoo. What could possibly be interesting about Draco and Ginny arguing?

Okay well, _she_ thought it was interesting. But she had a very good reason. Something looked..._odd_. And anyway, she was the crazy one of Hogwarts.

Turns out something _was _odd.

Very.

Draco and Ginny, who Luna would have sworn hated each other and would never ever be anything more than enemies, had been in fact arguing, but then Draco looked like he said something offending and grabbed, literally _grabbed_, the collar of Ginny's shirt pulling her towards him and pressed his lips on hers.

_Whoa_.

Draco Malfoy was kissing Ginny Weasley.

And the scariest part? Ginny was kissing him back.

It was rather an odd scene they both seemed to be struggling to find something.

It was as if they hoped they could suck something out of the other's mouth that they didn't have to begin with. Like they thought it would fix something.

In an odd twisted sort of way, Luna found it romantic.

Of course that thought was torn to shreds when Ginny violently pushed him away and started screaming at him.

This time Luna could hear.

And if Luna was to say something about the way Ginny Weasley spoke to Draco Malfoy at that moment she would have described it as…_colourful_.

Now Luna Lovegood didn't know much about kissing, considering she'd never been kissed before, but…she hardly doubted that a kiss ended with one of the people being shoved, rather painfully, into a wall.

"Huh." Blaise muttered in a fairly surprised tone "that's never happened before."

Luna turned to face Blaise as Ginny stalked of opposite of their direction toward the Gryffindor common room. "What do you mean that's never happened before?"

He frowned "well, I've been watching them before because, well really because of Draco… I've never seen them do that."

"So..." Luna pondered out loud "You were spying on them?"

"No! Well, yes, I suppose. But only because Draco had been acting unusual. And I figured it had something to do with that little Gryff."

Luna stared "Well, I suppose you guessed right."

"What," a cold and angry voice erupted "are you doing here?"

Blaise smirked in the direction of the voice, which could only belong to Draco Malfoy, "Out for a walk. And you?"

Luna looked at his pale face. There was a red imprint on his left cheek were Ginny had probably slapped him.

_Ouch_.

"Like you didn't see."

"_Oh_ I saw, and Luna here," he gestured toward Luna "saw as well, but I was wondering why?"

The pale Slytherin ignored Blaise and headed toward the dungeons.

Blaise turned and took her hand gingerly kissing it. "It was a pleasure meeting you Luna. You were pleasant company."

Luna just stood there and watched Blaise follow the angry Slytherin. An odd thought struck her, _who kissed people on the hand nowadays_? That was so…old. Luna found she didn't mind it at all.

_Hmm._

Today was a really odd day.

And she hadn't even finished her essay. McGonagall would have a fit. Perhaps she should turn in an essay on how the Ministry is secretly using glamour charms to hide the existence of the Heverty.

Now the Heverties were interesting creatures.

Yes, she would do that. The essay would be done in a few minutes and she got to see McGonagall tear out her hair and receiving another one of her _fictional _essays.

Luna headed to her dormitory all the while thinking of the Heverty and how McGonagall's face would look when she read the essay. Completely forgetting that she didn't have her things.

Blaise Zabini did.


	2. On Books & Taking Things

1**Chapter 2: On Books and Taking Things**

_-I do not own Harry Potter. Not even if the world freezes over and starts spinning the other way. Harry Potter still won't be mine.-_

1**"The only thing uglier then normality is perfection, and it's just as rare."**

xXxXx

"Ms. Lovegood, where is your book?"

Luna started blankly at McGonagall. "Not here."

McGonagall sighed exasperatedly. "Well, I can see that Lovegood."

"If you could see then why did you ask?"

Luna was giggling uncontrollably inside as she watched McGonagall's lips go very thin. Luna was sure that if Minerva McGonagall was not a teacher and she was not a student, she'd probably be getting strangled this very minute. "See me after class."

Luna nodded trying to keep her blank stare. As soon as McGonagall turned her back though Luna dissolved into fits of laughter.

Which of course was followed by a lot of questioning glances from those around her. Except they weren't so…questioning. More of a patronizing glare.

Although in truth Luna hadn't intended to _not _bring her book. She'd actually made a point in reminding herself to bring it, so she could balance out the _fictional_ essay with at least having her book, but she simply couldn't find it. She had searched her room top to bottom with no avail. If Luna didn't know any better she would have sworn her roommates had taken the book and hidden it, but she didn't see how that could be possible. They usually liked taking things large-scale. If they wanted to take her stuff, they would usually take lots. Like last year they decided it would be funny to take all her socks.

Really, if they wanted to take something of hers, it would make more sense it they took something she needed or really, _really_ wanted. But they always took pointless things.

Well, on occasion she found important things missing, but they usually liked taking the stupidest objects. Not to mention that her housemates were to damn lazy to wake up in the middle of the night or at the crack of dawn to take her things, they preferred taking her things during the afternoon, while she was eating or wandering around the castle. And seeing how she'd been in her room with the book at three in the morning and woke up two hours later she didn't see how they could have stolen her book. She'd stayed in her room all morning until it was time for transfiguration. So needless to say Luna was perplexed to the whereabouts of her book.

Silently the class started filing out. The class was over. Luna yawned and walked over to McGonagall's desk. "You wanted to see me?"

"Lovegood, this is the fifth time that you haven't brought your book," she muttered vehemently "Not to mention that your essay is completely inaccurate!"

Luna shrugged. She started playing with the Butterbeer cork necklace. "It's true, there have been reports about –"

"I don't care what reports your father's magazines' have made. I thought I made it quite clear that the information for your essay was to be found only in the library."

"Well, I thought about it, but I decided this was far more interesting."

"That's not –" McGonagall groaned "Never mind."

"Is that all?"

"You'll be serving detention with Professor Snape today."

"Okay."

Luna walked out of the class and headed to charms. It's not like detention with Snape was such a bad thing. He wasn't a bad teacher really, no matter how bad everyone made him out to be. Luna found it humorous how the only times she ever served detention was because McGonagall gave it to her for sprouting idiocies. And Luna had behaved today. She hadn't muttered one thing about what she was discussing. Like a good little student she listened, well, sort of, when it came to McGonagall Luna had trouble listening. But still! She listened and took notes, and _still _got detention. Things just never changed.

Just then Ginny came into view. Well, _some_ things never changed.

"Hi Luna."

Luna stopped in the middle of the hallway trying to decide if she should bring up the whole kissing thing or not.

Part of her wanted to because she was desperately trying to figure out why Ginevra Weasley, who **hated** Draco Malfoy, had just been kissing him yesterday night. Because even after Luna had gone into bed she'd stayed up for a really long time trying to figure this out.

Well she hadn't stayed up just because of that. Part of the reason she did her homework at night was also because occasionally she was hit with insomnia. And that was one of those nights. And even after spending the entire night thinking about it she really had no conclusion hit her.

Luna Lovegood hadn't even slept last night.

The other part of her didn't want to figure it out. It didn't want to know why, because then she'd probably be sworn to secrecy and Ginny would probably start yelling at her about _hate_ and, _how could she spy_. Yadda yadda. Sometimes Ginny exaggerated way too much and Luna was sure if she divulged the fact that she'd had seen her and Draco, Ginny would overreact.

The second part won. "'Lo Ginny."

xXxXx

Three hours later, Luna was in the Library again, except this time, she was trying to hide from Ginny. Every single time Luna saw the Gryffindor her brain brought up the image of her and Draco kissing. And Luna was tired of it too.

The sensible part of her was saying that if she just told Ginny she'd seen her and Draco Malfoy kissing the image would go away. It was saying that only reason it came up was because deep down Luna really wanted to know what was going on.

And she did. It was just…odd. The reality of the whole still wasn't sinking in, and in all honesty Luna doubted that Ginny would tell her the truth even if she asked her about it. After all, if Ginny didn't want anyone to know, which clearly she didn't, she wouldn't let a silly thing like visual proof getting in the way.

And that was what Luna Lovegood was afraid of. She was afraid that Ginny would just say some things and convince her she hadn't seen something real.

That she'd been sleep-walking or something, and she wasn't sure she wanted Ginny to convince her of that.

Because after all, friends were supposed to tell each other things. _Right?_

So if Ginny tried to talk her into thinking it was fake it meant they weren't friends…_right?_

Luna groaned as she dropped her head into the book. This just wasn't her day.

"Luna, why do you have your head in that book?"

Luna opened her eyes to the bleary text of the book which was right under her. "Huh?"

She heard the chair across her scrape against the floor and someone sit down in it. "Head. Book. Why?"

Luna blinked as the words started floating around. This was making her very dizzy. She pulled her head up to clear her vision. "It's a good place to hide."

For the first time Luna glanced at the person sitting across from her. It was Blaise. "Hide? From what?"

"My mind."

He grinned slightly. "Okay then, perhaps I should try that sometime."

Luna cocked her head trying to figure out if he was making fun of her. It sounded like it, but his tone sounded a little different.

"Here's your book."

Luna glanced at the red book he handed her. It was her transfiguration book. "You're giving it back?"

"Why wouldn't I?"

Luna took the book, and stared at him oddly "Most people wait until the end of the year to give me my things back."

Blaise stared at her. What was she talking about? "Er – most people?"

"Mm-hmm. They think it's funny."

This girl was fairly confusing. "Wait, you're saying people take your books?"

"Among other things."

"And they don't give them back?"

"Well, most give them back at the end of the year."

"Most?"

"Some never give them back."

Blaise stared at her as she kept looking at him. Her hair was tucked behind her ears and her wand (well, he supposed it was her wand anyway) was tucked back there as well. He wondered fleetingly how she did it. The fact that people took her things slightly disturbed him, though he wasn't sure why. "Who takes your things?"

"I dunno." She muttered dreamily still staring at him "Different people. I lose track."

Surely she couldn't have that many things stolen that she would just _lose track_. "What do you –?"

"You're eyes are brown."

"I – er – knew that."

"They look like the eyes of the Heverty."

" The – the what?"

"Heverty."

What the hell was a Heverty? Blaise considered himself a very knowledgeable person, but he did not know what a Heverty was. "Okay."

She continued staring at him. Blaise was now starting to feel very uncomfortable, though he couldn't say why. "What did she tell you?"

She blinked "huh?"

"Weasley. Have you talked to her about…what happened?"

For the first time she broke eye contact and instead stared at the book. "No." she said quietly with a faint blush creeping up her cheek.

"Now I think you're lying."

She glanced up. "No, I'm not."

"Then why are you blushing?"

"I – I'm sort of – hiding from her."

"You're…?"

"Please don't ask me why."

Blaise stared at her oddly. "Okay." She was an odd bird. "Well, I suppose I'll leave you to hiding from your mind and Ginny Weasley." He stood up and looked at her; she was staring at him again. "I have to detention to attend to."

"Oh! Shoot!" She exclaimed and gathered her books and stuffed them into the shelf. Just as quickly she bounded outside without a second look at him. Blaise stared blankly at where she'd been sitting. She really _was _an odd bird. Blaise gathered his books when he noticed her red book on the table. She'd forgotten it again.

Honestly, did she do things like that regularly? Forget her books? He scooped it up and headed toward his detention. He'd give her the book tomorrow. For now he had to go to detention.

McGonagall seriously hated him. Just because he wasn't taking notes, somehow he was subject to detention. It's not like he didn't know the topic. He knew it very well, he didn't need to waste paper and ink on that.

And McGonagall was too lazy to even administer her own detention. Instead she'd shipped him off to Snape.

Not that he minded that, Snape wouldn't give him something to hard.

**A/N:** I actually got that idea about detention together toward the end. I thought about adding the Luna and Ginny confrontation here but decided against it. Anyway tell me what you think. Please Review!


	3. Some Detention

**Chapter 3:** Some Detention

_- Of COURSE I own Harry Potter…In my dreams that is... -_

1**"I know the rules; they just don't apply to me." – I don't know **

**A/N:** Just fixing a few minor errors and I added a little bit about what Blaise thinks about Luna.

xXxXx

Even as Blaise entered the green common room, he was having trouble placing his thoughts.

In fact he was staring to wonder if those 'thoughts' were real. It could have just been his imagination.

Right?

To be exact his thoughts solely pertained to a blonde eccentric Ravenclaw.

She was a lot less … _pure_ then he'd pictured her to be.

All in all it was a rather odd detention.

Then again not a minute spent with her wasn't odd.

xXxXx

"Mister Zabini. Why can I say that I'm not surprised?" Snape said with cold indifference as Blaise walked in to serve his detention.

He shrugged "Not my fault."

"Really?" the potion master replied in an accusatory tone. "Then who? The tiny people that are roaming about haplessly in your head?"

"Now really, professor, I am offended, you are confusing me with Draco. He is the one with the little blue munchkins telling him to do stupid things. Mine resemble a lion and are green."

Snape snorted. "Indeed."

"But it wasn't their fault. See, they like causing other kinds of mischief. I was merely fortune's fool this time."

"Fortune's…? Oh please."

"You believe that Gryffin hag, McGonagall, over me?"

"I'd believe Potter over you Zabini. Even Malfoy doesn't create as many tales and lies as you seem to do. Sometimes I wonder if you actually believe half the idiocies you spread."

"Of course I don't believe them. " Then with a slight grin he added "I know this place isn't really used to teach magic. That it's used for that old wizard to get his peeks up girl's skirts."

"Yes of course." Snape said to the Slytherin

It was all in all true. Blaise was known for NOT telling the truth. He wasn't the most honest person in the world. He was as honest as Draco Malfoy was nice. And that was saying something.

Come to think of it…the blonde git had never said one nice thing yet.

Ever.

Even his compliments were riddled with insults and sarcasm.

Blaise set Luna's red book on the table and faced the potions master "well, professor, what audacities shall I be performing today?"

Snape who had stopped paying attention was know busy glaring at a sheet of parchment and scratching bright red marks angrily all over it, replied "You can help Lovegood."

Blaise blinked. Love…good…? _Luna_? He was having detention with _Luna_?

"Lovegood!" Snape called in a light sneer as he marked the parchment yet again. The parchment resembled more of a drawing that his three-year old cousin would create with a thick red marker. Only a few visible blank spots could been seen throughout the sea of red.

"What?" she asked dreamily

"Zabini will be helping you organize the potion supply."

"Okay."

"He knows what to do.'

Luna shrugged and stuck her head back in the closet.

He was going to be alone in the closet with _her_?

Blaise wondered fleetingly if Snape had lost his mind.

Well to be fair Snape was right outside, but Zabini was never known to be an honest man.

How could he? He would be cramped in a tiny room with a very pretty, blue-eyed blonde that despite being a little…odd was really very interesting. What else was he supposed to do?

But of course, he couldn't do that. Not with the Ravenclaw. She wasn't like all the other girls. That much was obvious to any fool with eyes. If he seriously wanted to something with her he was going to have to take things very slowly and very differently than he usually did.

Because Luna was very…_original_. Very pure. If he wanted to do anything with her he'd have to take things so slowly it was almost as if he wasn't moving at all.

And he definitely wanted something with her. She'd intrigued him very, _very_ much.

He would need to wait.

Patience didn't bode well with Blaise Zabini.

xXxXx

As Blaise organized the supplies on top he couldn't help but look at the odd Ravenclaw as she started humming a tune he'd never heard of in a rather dreamy stance.

She looked angelic.

Her dirty blonde hair kept swinging in her face and she kept pushing it back irritably. This action would have normally irritated him but on Luna Lovegood he found it rather cute. Her bulbous blue eyes were glowing calmly with a peacefulness that he'd never seen in one person alone. It seemed as if she was imagining the greatest things in the world. He noted rather fondly that her wand was still stuck behind her ear. It almost made her seem rather young. Had it not been for the very intriguing curves he was now seeing very, very clearly (since she'd disregarded her robe on the floor quite a while ago and was now wearing the mandatory plaid skirt.) he could've sworn she was a rather enigmatic 1st year.

But no – She was a rather appealing 6th year.

She almost made the detention worthwhile. If the detention had her he really didn't mind.

Even though he still didn't like McGonagall.

Mad woman.

All she needed was a good fuck. Maybe then the Transfiguration Professor would cease being such an uptight – _person_.

After a while Blaise got tired with the silence. "So, Luna, why do you have detention?" he asked after a while not breaking his smooth and quick pattern in arranging the supplies.

"Because, McGonagall hasn't gotten screwed properly lately."

Blaise nearly dropped the jar of – whatever – he was holding as he heard those words slip from the little Ravenclaw's mouth.

"And you?"

Blaise continued stocking the jars watching the Raven carefully. "Same reason."

"I hate her, you know. She's such an overbearing hag."

"Yes, well, I don't like her either." Blaise eyed wavered to her neck noticing a string of Butterbeer corks hung around her neck. "That's cute."

Luna looked up at him, her blue eyes blinking. "What?" she asked with a frown

"The necklace." Her hand instinctively reached to touch the unique piece of jewellery. "It's cute. I've never seen one like it."

"My mum made it." She said in a whisper peering at him curiously

Blaise raised an eyebrow wondering what he had said that made Luna Lovegood uncomfortable. She suddenly seemed distant.

"Are you making fun of me?"

He frowned "What? I – No. Why would you think that?"

Luna shrugged but he noticed rather fondly that she was smiling again. Whatever had been bothering her was clearly gone. What he couldn't understand was why she thought he was making fun of her. He'd sounded sincere or at least he thought he had.

They spend the rest of the detention talking comfortably in which Blaise learned Luna's father who was editor of the Quibbler, she was an only child, her mother – Veronica – died when she was three, and that Harry Potter had an invisibility cloak.

That last bit was rather valuable information that explained why Potter was never caught sneaking around the school when the idiot did as many things as he did.

He'd also learned that Luna wasn't particularly found of the Dream Team. In her own words "Hermione's too scientific. She's dull. Ron screams practically every hour of his life and Harry's so brave and noble," at noble she scoffed "it' Hermione's too scientific. She's dull. Ron screams practically every hour of his life and Harry's so brave and noble," at noble she scoffed "it's stupid and annoying. They're nice people, but I wouldn't want to hang around them _all_ the time. I feel sorry for Ginny. She spends a lot of time with them on the account that Ron's her brother."

Luna gave a cry of joy. "I'm done!"

Blaise grinned at her rather foolish display of emotion.

She picked up her bag. "Bye, professor." She smiled and skipped out of the room. Blaise picked up his bag and his gaze fell on the red book.

"Damn." Blaise ran after the Ravenclaw. "Luna!"

She turned "Yeah?"

He waved the book in the air. "Either you keep forgetting this book or you don't want it. Either way are you sure you won't be needing this?"

Luna blushed. "Right."

Blaise chuckled and handed her the book.

xXxXx

The whole conversation they had felt odd.

He wouldn't have thought she would think so…not nicely.

She seemed like a flowers and bunnies nicey-nice girl.

Okay so maybe comments like that weren't totally out of character from someone like Luna. Not that this turned him off. It made her all the more interesting.

"What's with the dopey look Zabini?" a cold voice uttered interrupting his thoughts on Luna

"I believe I asked you the same thing the other day." He said to the pale Slytherin who was lying comfortably on the green couch by the roaring fireplace.

"No." he said as-a-matter-of-factly. "You asked me why I kissed Weasley."

"While we're on the topic, Draco, _why_ did you kiss her?" he asked settling himself into a comfy armchair.

"I answered that already."

"If by answered you mean threw a book at me, then yes, I see now that you _have_ answered me."

Draco ignored him.

Blaise rolled his eyes. "I'm going to bed you twit." When he was halfway up the stairs he turned back and said loudly enough so Draco could hear him "You know what? I don't think _you_ even know **why** you kissed her. But I think you liked it."

This reply was answered by a large green book being thrown forcibly at this face. He ducked and the book hit somebody's dormitory with a loud **THUMP**!

Blaise chuckled, and headed to his dormitory; his thoughts occupied by an ignorant Malfoy and a certain blonde Ravenclaw.

Yes, things around Hogwarts were getting very odd.

Very odd indeed.

A/N: He, he, he. I actually like this chapter. It took me forever to write it though. I kept trying but it didn't work. In the end I decide to try doing it from Blaise's view and I think that worked out rather nicely.


	4. The Kiss

**Chapter 4: The Kiss**

_- Disclaimer: Not Mine. Never mine. In no way mine. Could list thousands of ways and statements to say none of this is mine. -_

1**"My hopes are so high that your kiss might kill me. So won't you kill me? So I die happy." **

**-Dashboard Confessional**

**A/N:** Okay to be fair this is a little bit of a…filler chapter I think, not much happening, but I tired tot throw I some humour. Notice I said "tired" so if it's not funny you can't throw rotten tomatoes at me. Although, I _do_ allow you to throw cookies and chocolate at me.

xXxXx

"He's a Slytherin!"

"I was aware of that. I mean, with the green robes and snarky attitude, it's kind of hard to forget."

Ron spluttered, "He's a **Slytherin**!"

Ron said _Slytherin_ like most people would say _serial_ _killer_.

"You said that already."

"HE'S A SLYTHERIN!"

Luna frowned. All this yelling was going to puncture her eardrums. "Are you broken?"

"Luna!" Ginny exclaimed. The red-head had walked in sometime between Ronald Weasley's continual chants of 'he's a Slytherin' and had settled herself on the floor. She was lying on her stomach staring at the two with mixed emotions. "_He's_ a person. He can't be broken. Just stupid."

"Ron looked torn between confusion and anger. He turned to his sister and pointed angrily at Luna, "She's hanging around with a Slytherin!"

Luna pulled out the Quibbler from her bag and flopped down on the grass; she settled comfortably on her back and started reading.

Ginny sighed. "I think Luna and everyone else within a 50 mile radius knows that already."

"**A Slytherin**!" Ron exclaimed. "And," he added as if this was the worst part "not just _any_ Slytherin, she's hanging around with _Zabini_!"

Luna stopped reading as soon as she heard that. She sat up quickly "What's so bad about that?"

"Slytherin's are bad people!"

"But you said Zabini as if…" she paused "as if…he was scum."

"He is!"

"How would you know?"

"Everyone knows."

"Have you ever talked to him?"

"Yes."

"By talking I mean _talking_. Not insulting. No prejudices."

"LUNA! He's a SLYTHERIN!"

"I'm not deaf, I heard you the first hundred times." Like she couldn't hear him. As if! Even a deaf person would be able to hear his incessantly loud screeches.

"Well, clearly you are or you wouldn't be hanging around with him!"

"Ron." Ginny broke in softly "Just leave Luna alone." She said leading him aside. "I'll handle this."

Luna frowned. She did not like the way Ginny said 'I'll handle this'. Almost like she was a mother. Being the self-sacrificing martyr and telling their children the 'cold, hard, truth.'

No, Luna did not like the way Ginevra Weasley had said that at all.

Ron fumed and opened his mouth as if to start his rants all over, but closed it and stormed off. Muttering things about "Fucking Slytherins."

Luna stuck out her tongue at the red-head. "Over-dramatic asshole."

Ginny was often a tiny bit surprised at Luna Lovegood's vocabulary. She had seemed at first glance to be a very impressionable, "good" person.

But now Ginevra Weasley knew better. Luna was slightly pessimistic. Overly sadistic. Twisted, and vulgar. "Well, yes, but that's just who he is. Strangely paranoid and over-protective of everyone he comes to know. If I wasn't so used it to it I'd want to strangle the life out of him."

"I don't care what you say. He needs to calm down. Perhaps talk to the durky."

'The _durky_…?" Ginny questioned "What – You know what, never mind."

Luna pulled the Quibbler back up to her face and commenced her reading again. This of course was interrupted by Ginny pulling it down and staring at her with an extremely worried expression.

Dammit. Luna was so hoping she could avoid this.

"Luna," Ginny said softly with the tenderness of a mother coddling her children, "What are you doing with Zabini?"

Luna bristled. "Talking. We're friends."

Ginny bit her lip "Luna, Zabini – he – he has a reputation."

"Well, reputations don't mean anything. They're just stupid things established by stupid rumours by even stupider people."

The red-head looked as if it was costing her everything to say what she was about to say. "He – he's known for – for –"

"Don't talk to me like I'm a child, _Ginevra_. I'm not four." Luna snapped, getting fed up with Ginny and her mollifying tone. The girl was honestly trying to tell _her_ that hanging around with Blaise was a bad idea, when _she_ had snogged the hell out of an even "worse" Slytherin not too long ago.

Hypocrite.

Ginny tensed and in a very strained voice (it almost seemed as if she was trying her hardest not to start yelling.) "He's known for 'becoming friends' with girls just for a shag. Then dropping them," she snapped her fingers "just like that."

"I know what people say about him, and I know _exactly_ what he is. Thank you, Ginevra, but I knew that already."

"Then what the HELL are you doing being friends with him! He's a sorry-excuse for a man. A pathetic, disgusting, Slytherin!"

"Don't you dare criticise me, Ginevra Weasley!" Luna screeched. Luna could handle many things. She could handle people stealing her things, calling her 'Loony', or making fun of her. She could handle insults, taunts and even being given detention when she didn't deserve it. But she could NOT handle one of her supposed 'friends' standing there criticising her about who she could be friends with. And insulting the few who _were_ her friends.

"I have to, Luna! He's BAD news! Stay the hell away from him! He'll only hurt –"

"I'm not the one who kissed a fucking Slytherin! You are! So don't you dare stand there criticizing me about something _you_ regret!"

Ginny's mouth dropped open "I – what?"

"_You_ snogged Draco – fucking – Malfoy – I haven't snogged anybody! And just because you wish you hadn't, don't start cussing at _me_ on the dangers of Slytherin! I know what I'm doing you – you – _Gryffindor_!" Luna yelled and stormed off

Lousy, no-good, know-it-all, Weasleys! Always think they know more than everyone in the fucking world! Meddlesome, red-headed, frecklers!

And Ginny had the _nerve_ to tell her what to do? She was _not_ stupid! She knew exactly what she was doing!

Bastards.

Besides, it's not like someone like _him_ could ever like someone like _her_.

She was Loony Lovegood.

No one ever wanted to do anything with her.

No one even wanted her as a friend.

They just used her as a doll they could tell what to do.

Not someone they cared for.

Well Luna Lovegood was no doll!

She was not someone they could manipulate.

Luna sat in alcove in the wall and rested her head in her hands.

Unwillingly, tears started to pour from her eyes. Luna sniffled. She hated crying. She did NOT want to cry now. Plus all this crying attracted the Squich-Tevern nowadays.

But she couldn't stop them. They salty drops just kept falling and falling. Luna could taste the salty drops of water on her lips. It was bitter.

"Lovegood?"

Luna stiffened

"Are you okay?"

Luna didn't answer.

"What happened?'

Luna sniffled again "Stupid – Ginny – said – hypocrite – crying"

"Luna, dove," Blaise said. As it could only be Blaise. He was the only person on earth who would ever call her 'dove', "As much as I would like to understand what you're saying, incoherent one word statements don't help me. Plus, the fact that your face is buried in your hands isn't making things any better."

"Mrephgh."

"Luna? If you want to talk to me, I'd like to be able to hear you and understand what you're trying to say."

Luna lifted her head slightly "Ginny's a hypocrite."

Blaise stared at her, her face was flushed and pale at the same time. Her eyes were very red and puffy. Her face was bathed in wet drops. Here and there a few clumps of dirty-blonde hair were stuck to her face messily. Blaise reached out and pushed the stray strands of hair out of her face. He felt pained because she looked so – sad. "And why?"

Luna shook her head, biting her lips as if trying to hold back any further tears. "Can't say."

"Alright then."

Blaise sat there in the alcove with her for a while as she kept crying and slowly calmed down. He didn't say anything, because he simply didn't know _what_ to say. He'd never been too good with crying girls. He found that he wasn't any better with a crying blonde girl he was really, _really_ starting to fancy.

After a short time, Luna's sniffles had ceased and she looked normal again.

Well, as normal as Luna Lovegood could look anyway.

'Thank you."

"Hmm?"

"I feel better now – thank you."

"I didn't do anything."

"I know. Thank you for not making me say anything."

Blaise smiled. She really was very pretty. Not that normal mundane sort of pretty he usual went after. She didn't have the perfect hair or the plump red lips, but there was an almost surreal beauty about her. And the innocence he saw in her wide eyes made her even prettier. He couldn't help himself, her lips weren't far and they looked _so_ appealing. He leaned forward and took her lips in his.

Luna jumped and shoved him back. "I – you – I…"

Blaise inwardly cursed himself. "Luna, dove, I didn't –"

"I have to go." She muttered her eyes as wide as dinner plates. With that the Ravenclaw scampered off, not looking back once.

Almost like a rabbit running from the wolf.

Blaise groaned.

Dammit.

xXxXx

**A/N:** I think this definitely deserves review don't you? My imaginary friend Bob says he thinks you should all review.

But seriously, I hope you liked 'em. I personally, don't like this one all that much. Ginny seemed too _ishy_.

Tell me what you think!


	5. Impossible

**Chapter 5: Impossible**

_- I wonder, does anybody read these things? Because every time I write that I don't own Harry Potter, a part of me slowly dies. Ahh! See I died right there. -_

1**"My hopes are so high that your kiss might kill me. So won't you kill me? So I die happy." **

**-Dashboard Confessional**

xXxXx

Snow was falling.

Hell was freezing.

Tiny little blue men that went by the name of Serfs were marching around a tall oak tree singing folk songs.

Even the "odd" things Luna believed in didn't even begin to measure up to this – this – ughh! There wasn't even a word for the event that had just conspired.

She was supposed to be the 'loony' one, when did everybody decide to lose their freakin' minds!

First, Ginny snogged Draco Malfoy in the corridor in the dead of night. Then, out of some insanely odd coincidence, Ron Weasley decided that she could not hear properly, so he repeated the same damn statement a thousand times at an extremely loud tone! And now, Blaise – fucking – Zabini kissed her!

HER!

As in the weird, blonde, Ravenclaw, with blue bug-eyes!

This was a joke.

A sick twisted half-assed joke.

Joke** noun.** _1)_ A statement made or short story told in order to cause amusement. _2)_ A trick played for fun. **Verb.** Make jokes.

Okay, she reasoned, it _can't_ be a joke because it's NOT producing any amusement whatsoever! _Or_ fun!

Damn – fuck – shitty shit, shit!

This was not a good development.

Bad, _bad_ development.

Luna flopped unceremoniously onto the cold Hogwarts floor. She sat with her legs spread out and her head leaning forward touching the floor. A couple of the people who had been in the Great Hall studying, peered curiously at the Ravenclaw who had just dropped herself on the floor. Most, though, when noticing it was Luna, shrugged and returned to their work.

_It was just Loony Lovegood._

This was past all the idiocies in the world.

This was so insane it was asinine.

Luna half-expected Ronald Weasley to burst through the door stark naked, covered in shockingly bright blue paint, notifying the Hogwarts students that purple chickens were falling from the sky.

Even Luna knew it was impossible that purple chickens would fall from the sky.

Though given the recent events it wouldn't surprise her that much if mammoth-sized chickens were falling from the sky.

As a matter of fact, maybe she should check just to be absolutely sure.

After all, if Blaise Zabini was kissing her than just about anything was possible.

xXxXx

Blaise groaned. "Stupid, stupid, STUPID!" he muttered as he slammed his head over and over against the wall.

"We are all aware of that Zabini, but if you think hitting your head against the wall will make you any less stupid, I'm afraid I have to say it will probably have the reverse action."

Blaise ignored Draco. How could he have been that _stupid_! He'd explicitly avoided doing anything with Luna for as long as he did, so he might actually _have_ a chance.

Now Lovegood would probably run the other way when she saw him. Ugh.

Luna was –well at this point who knows – but Luna was different, he couldn't go about with her the way he'd done with all the others.

But he just couldn't bleeding resist.

Ugh.

"Stupid!"

Draco had now positioned himself against the wall in a place he could clearly see Blaise's many facial expressions. And Draco was fairly intrigued. "Why exactly?"

"Why exactly what?"

"Why have you realised what we all know?"

Blaise stopped pounding his head against the wall ready to hit Draco Malfoy or say something derogatory, so he was surprised when the words, "I kissed her." slipped from his mouth.

Draco's eyebrows raised "Weasley?"

Blaise didn't fail to notice the slight anger in his eyes as he said that. And the way his thoughts quickly jumped to Ginevra Weasley. Blaise was about to correct him when he decided to play along. "And if I did?"

Draco eyes blazed for a minute, and then his emotions were hidden behind a mask. He suddenly looked cool and indifferent. "How does that make you stupid? Other than the obvious?"

"And what is the obvious?"

"You kissed a Muggle-loving weasel."

If Blaise hadn't known any better he would've sworn Draco was being a complete hypocrite and didn't like him. But Blaise knew better. He'd grown up with Draco Malfoy, and knew well enough when he meant something other that what he said. This was one of those rare times.

So he laughed.

Draco frowned. "What is so funny?" he snapped angrily.

Blaise tried to calm down. But he couldn't.

It was hilarious.

xXxXx

"O woe is me. Woe is me. Said the little caterpillar to the tree." Luna mumbled as her eyes scanned the white clouds floating amidst the light blue sky. She'd been out here for hours and so far no chickens, purple or otherwise, were falling from the sky.

Which of course led her to an all more terrifying realisation.

What if Ginny was right?

Luna evaluated her options. Either he

Was really just looking for a shag.

Really meant it and for some odd reason liked her. (As if!)

And Blaise really didn't seem like the stupid type so he _clearly_ didn't like her. He just wanted…

UGHH!

Damn – fuck – shit – stupid arse – Ughh!

Ginny was right.

She was fucking right and Luna had just yelled at her for telling Luna the truth. She'd talked to her out of worry and Luna had told her to sod off and leave her the hell alone, when the stupid red-head was completely in the right.

Why couldn't _she_ ever be right?

Stupid school. Filled with stupid people. Covered in stupid acts. Made up of stupid lies. Stupid, stupid, _stupid_. Luna was just plain stupid.

xXxXx

"No, I didn't kiss Ginny. But she pushed me back. She didn't want me to kiss her. She…ran…sort of…"

He scoffed "Ran? From you? I must meet this person, who is she?"

I…" he paused "Luna." He whispered softly

Draco raised an eyebrow, "Sorry didn't catch that last part.

"I – er – kissed…Luna…Lovegood."

"LOVEGOOD!" Draco screamed at Blaise in the hallway.

Blaise groaned and massaged his head. "YES! LOVEGOOD! SCREAM IT OUT WHY DON'T YOU!"

"What the – _fuck_ – I mean _Lovegood_? Of all the girls in this school you up and kiss Luna Lovegood!"

"YES! Damn what can you not fucking hear?"

"You kissed the girl who would believe you if you told her Snape had dyed his hair pink and was dancing in the forbidden forest wearing a yellow tunic singing 'I love you, you love me, were all a great big happy family' !"

"She would not –" He started to say, but was interrupted hence more

"And she pushed you away? And ran for the hills? _Damn_, how bad of a kisser are you!"

"Malfoy, I swear if you don't shut up I will throttle you on the spot."

"Why on earth would you kiss Lovegood? _Lovegood_? She's the oddest girl on the face of the earth! You couldn't find a stranger girl if you visited every country in the world! Are you mental!"

"Right, and _you_ kissing Weasley was perfectly sane."

'We aren't talking about me and Weasley."

"Weasley and I. And we should."

"Should? Why should we!"

"Because!"

"We. Are. Not. Talking. About. That."

Blaise stiffened. "Then I guess we aren't talking period." He turned around and left Draco Malfoy standing there.

A few hours later Blaise was lying on his bed with his eyes closed fantasising that the whole thing had happened differently. That Luna Lovegood had returned the kiss and he wasn't feeling all confused and bubbly.

Slytherins did NOT feel bubbly.

It went against the rules.

They did NOT feel upset when a girl/guy didn't kiss them back. They found a way to make it happen.

They did NOT wonder what said girl/guy was thinking at the moment. They made sure said girl/guy was thinking about him/her.

They did NOT replay the entire kissing scene in their head over and over. They forgot about it and found another girl/guy to entertain them physically.

And most importantly they did **not** fall for someone.

Maybe he should be resorted.

xXxXx

**A/N:** YAY! I updated really soon! Well, at least I think it was soon. So there. I win. :p Right as a short note I wanted to thank all my loverly reviewer people, Thank you, thank you, thank you. Thanker you. And Bob says thank you too. He thinks you all are very special people.

See, right there. Button thing-y on the left. It's calling your name


	6. Killer Marshmallows & Freaky Dreams

**Chapter 6: Killer Marshmallows & Freaky Dreams**

_- Of COURSE I own Harry Potter…In my dreams that is... -_

1_**Oh, I am very weary, Though tears no longer flow; My eyes are tired of weeping, My heart is sick of woe. **_

_**- Anne Bronte**_

**A/N**: Just some more minor corrections. Nothing you really need to re-read.

xXxXx

Sitting in complete solitude, in the middle of the hallway sat Luna Lovegood with her head between her knees. If anyone were to pass by they would hear the blonde girl occasionally mutter things like "Fucking…I hate…INSANE…what's the world coming to…"

Of course no sane person would be walking around the castle in the middle of the night, and even if they were no one would approach the strange Ravenclaw who seemed to be in a very, very bad mood.

Just then a blur of red plopped down across from the extremely pissed off Raven. "Luna?"

The angry Ravenclaw didn't bother to look up, she knew who it was, and right now she was not feeling in the mood to talk to anyone. "Fuck off, Ginny. I don't fucking want company."

Ginevra Weasley said nothing in response and didn't move; instead she pulled on a strand of bright red hair.

Luna lifted her head about to tell her off when she noticed her face. Ginevra's eyes were cast down staring at the strand of hair sadly. Her warm brown eyes were shining oddly.

Like she wanted to cry.

"Ginny are you…" Luna bit her lip, of course she wasn't. "What's wrong?"

Ginny raised her head slightly and stared point blank at Luna "I don't – I'm not sure how you know what you know, but…" she paused as a solitary tear slid from her warm brown eyes. She wiped it away hastily. "You're right."

Instantly Luna understood. "Oh," Luna stared at the red-head looking as if she was trying to figure something out. "This is where I'm supposed to be comforting right?" Luna asked

Ginny smiled slightly. "Well, ordinarily, yes."

"Oh." She frowned. "I can't. It was a strange and apparently stupid thing to do on your part. I have no words of wisdom or comfort to depart."

Ginny Weasley just started laughing. "You are probably the only person on earth who would admit to that. Everyone tries to make the bad things seem less than they are. And if they cant they tiptoe around them. You," she chuckled again "Just outright tell me how bad they are."

She shrugged. "Truth is bitter and hard, but lies are sickly sweet and sticky" Luna followed suit and started playing with her hair. "If it makes you feel any better, you were right about Blaise too."

"It doesn't. Wait, what do you mean?"

"He up and kissed me. I was talking to him and then he…He's an arse. I mean – I thought we were friends. Not – not something stupid. I didn't think he talked to me for the same damn reason he talked to every other female at Hogwarts." She dropped the strand of hair and buried her face in-between her knees again. "I thought I was good at reading people. I thought he was genuine."

"Luna, there's –"

"Don't. It's my stupid fault for being hopeful. Optimistic. For actually thinking that – that things aren't always what they seem. I was sanguine for fuck's sake. Since when do I think on the bright side? I hate me."

"Well, if it makes you feel any better I hate me too."

"It doesn't."

The two girls sat in silence for awhile. "Maybe, Luna…Maybe he really does like you. Have you thought about that?"

She scoffed. "Like me? Slytherin's playboy like an immature moronic girl like _me_?" She laughed "as if."

"Luna?"

"Yeah?"

"I hate Hogwarts."

"Me too. Me too." Luna sighed "If I didn't know any better, I'd say this was the doings of an obnoxious Squich-Tevern."

"Luna there's no such thing."

"Is too."

xXxXx

Luna sat up abruptly in the middle of the night. She would've screamed if she wasn't so used to this.

She was panting horribly and her dirty blonde hair was tangled messily and stuck to her sweating face in messy clumps.

The bright moon seemed to have decided to hide its face tonight, so instead of the bright oval illuminating the room there was naught but black. An eerie blackness that did nothing to ease Luna's sudden feeling of fear. If Luna were to stick out her hand and wiggle her fingers she wouldn't see anything.

Luna Lovegood stood up as the realisation of why she woke up so abruptly settled in.

Okay, to be fair, at times she wondered if her insomnia was self-induced. Ever since she was seven years old she started having… "Dreams". And she did NOT like them.

She hated them.

Often she would try to stay up when she was younger to avoid said dreams. She'd stay up until the wee hours of the morning in her father's study watching him write some article about some interesting creature. Her father never minded that she stayed up. He was more liberal. He figured, that she was free to choose what she wanted to do, and any mistakes she made would teach her not to do them again.

So at times, Luna Lovegood felt the sinking suspicion that she _couldn't_ go to sleep because she didn't _want_ to.

She went to sleep as much as she had to, but never any more.

Today was one of the days she'd managed to succumb to the blissful peace, – which she had hoped – would be dream-free.

But it wasn't.

Damn dreams.

Oh, how she hated her dreams.

Especially ones like this.

_She was running through the forest, a dark, and wet, forest with tall overpowering trees, low prickly bushes, and mountains of tangled roots. The only source of light came from the reddish moon. She scrambled haphazardly as fast she could through the abominable forest._

_Running from two things._

_What those things were she couldn't be sure, but she knew that one was dangerous and the other horrid. _

_She toppled over a clump of fallen branches and fell flat on her face._

_She tried to stand just as the branch came to life and entwined itself around her legs. It gripped her painfully and tightly making sure she wouldn't move._

_Luna swore as tears fell from her eyes and horror settled in the pit of her stomach. _

_The two things were going to catch up to her._

For some reason, dreams always shocked her and terrified her more than they should have.

Even happy dreams, about colourful rainbows, and cheerful hopping happy bunnies horrified her to wits' end.

Why?

Luna wouldn't know.

And didn't want to know.

She just wanted to block them out for all of eternity.

She was NOT going to fall asleep again tonight.

Luna grabbed her uniform and headed to the showers, all the while cursing her 'stupid dreams'.

xXxXx

Ginny frowned and stared at her sceptically. "Luna, they're just dreams. I mean…they're _dreams_, as in unreal things." She paused "There aren't…_two things_…coming after you anytime soon."

Luna sat down on the uncomfortable wooden library chair. "That's not the point."

Ginny sighed leaning forward. "Then explain what is, because I don't get it."

"I – It's the whole concept _of_ dreams. I don't like them. I don't want them. They're just…unnerving."

"They aren't real. They won't happen."

Luna continued, "I don't even like the dreams where I fall in love, or – or pass my NEWTS!"

"Why?"

"I don't know!"

"You are aware that dreams are just the thoughts your subconscious creates."

"I don't care what creates them – I HATE them!"

"I – Luna, how can you hate DREAMS of all things?"

"I told you! I DON'T know!"

Ginny looked at her friend helplessly "Well, just go to Madam Pomfrey – "

"And what, tell her I'm afraid of dreams?" Luna asked bewildered.

"No. Ask her for a dreamless sleep potion."

Luna's face brightened. "Excellent idea!"

xXxXx

"Hello, Madam Pomfrey. How are you today? Are things well? I hope so. Quidditch match later today, I'm sure you'll be busy later on. Giving potions and such. Speaking of potions, can I have a dreamless sleep one? I would really appreciate it. Thank so much!" Luna said all in one breath.

Madam Pomfrey, who was holding, what appeared to be to vials containing light blue liquid, stared at the Ravenclaw trying to decipher what she had just said. "I – I'm fine thank you. Yes, things are well and…" she frowned "What potion?"

"Dreamless sleep."

"Are you having trouble sleeping?"

"Er – yes."

Madam Pomfrey looked at her quizzically.

"You know," Luna quickly added saying the first things that came to mind "Bad dreams. Recently they've been about giant pink marshmallows that try to eat me and drowning in chocolate pudding."

"Chocolate…_Pink_ marshmallows?"

"I really hate the colour pink." She shuddered "Gives me chills. And to think of pink marshmallows eating me. Ugh, it's horrible. Sometimes I wake up and feel like screaming."

The woman just looked as if those words astonished her more than if Luna would have said she'd broken every bone in her body, by herself with a plastic bat. "I…see…" She placed the vials carefully in a cabinet. "Yes…I suppose I can give you the potion." No longer looking at Luna suspiciously, she was instead looking at her with a stare that nearly screamed 'Are you insane!'

She handed Luna the potion and waved her away. Luna took it happily and skipped out.

Luna smirked thinking of what she's just said.

Well, that was new.

"Loony" Lovegood was now afraid of chocolate pudding and pink marshmallows.

Would you look at that.

xXxXx

**A/N**: Anyway, plz review. Please, please, pretty please with a cherry on top. I think I deserve it considering I'm writing this for you people from my aunt's house in a little pueblito in MX. I send virtual picafresas (tasty chilli covered strawberry candy. Not chilli, chilli. Like chilli powder. It's good!) and Gansitos (Tasty little bread thingies with chocolate, jelly, and whipped cream. Mm…) to all my loverly readers.

Kisses,

Jenni

PS: And for people out there who know what I'm talking about I didn't know it was spelled _chilli_ in English. I just always figured it was _chile_. Srry, just my stupid ramblings.


	7. Floppy Sponges

**Chapter 7: Purple Sponge**

_- Unless I'm dreaming, then I don't own Harry Potter, now it's just up to you to decide if I'm dreaming or not. -_

1**Sanity calms, but madness is more interesting." **

**-John Russel**

**A/N**: Okay, this chapter has POV change. It's told by Draco and Ginny; mainly because I wanted to show more of their characteristics a bit and so you could see how they view Luna and Blaise.

xXxXx

Dark, smelly, and horrible, were some of the words running through Ginny Weasley's mind as she scrubbed a charcoal-black cauldron half-heartedly.

She could think of thousands of things she would rather be doing. And scrubbing a cauldron with a floppy purple sponge in the dungeons was not anywhere on the top 5,963.

For example, she would rather:

Jump up an down like a lunatic all throughout the castle

Borrow Luna's radish earrings and actually _wear_ them

Count how many freckles were on her face

_Or_, be in the hospital wing with serious injuries

It's not like she deserved detention. Not really. After all, it wasn't _her_ fault. It was an accident. Things just _happened_.

Like the fact that Dana Millis, a short, high-voiced, brunette _happened_ to be talking about Luna. And the things she was saying just _happened_ to be laced with malice and cruelty. It just _happened_ that Dana was making fun of Luna for being afraid of marshmallows. (Odd, thing really. _Marshmallows_?) And just like that it just so _happened_ that Ginny overheard, and it _happened_ that her fist just _accidentally_ swerved and hit the brunette square in the face breaking the stupid girl's nose.

It was all just a matter of coincidence.

No one could say otherwise.

But apparently, Snape, official tormentor of Gryffindors decided she deserved detention. Please, of all the people left in the world, Ginny was the _last_ one who deserved to have detention.

Well, not last, but...There were at _least_ a couple hundred people in front of her.

Malfoy for instance.

Or that irksome boy who sat behind her in Transfiguration and picked his nose…

But what could she do? Now she was stuck scrubbing cauldrons in the stuffy dungeons with a floppy purple sponge that Luna had conjured up for her. Ginny was actually very impressed with Luna's level of tolerance; the labour did not seem to faze her at all. And from what Ginny knew, Luna had detention practically every day because of her continual attempts to annoy McGonagall. Ginny huffed, straightening and glared angrily at the cauldron "Damn…pot, won't…damn." She muttered bitterly. She turned to face the blonde who was scrubbing the cauldron energetically while humming a strange tune under her breath, "How do you do this everyday?"

"Everyday?" Luna hummed "I don't."

"You have detention nearly everyday!"

"The key word is, _nearly_. And I don't clean cauldron's everyday. In fact…" Luna straightened dropping her sponge: an even floppier, yellow-green one. "I think he's in a bad mood today."

Ginny snorted. "_Brilliant_. Because Snape decides today's the perfect day for a hissy-fit, I'm stuck scrubbing a bleedin' cauldron. Stupid, greasy-haired, moron."

Luna shrugged "Better than detention with McGonagall."

"You'd rather do this than…say, eating toffee with McGonagall?"

"I'd rather clean toilets that spend one measly minute with that uptight broad."

"Oh, come off it!" Ginny exclaimed "She's not that bad!"

"She's so horrid she makes torture seem like a lovely, sweet-smelling, garden filled with chirrupy birds."

Ginny rolled her eyes. "Sometimes, Lovegood, I wonder if you live in our planet."

She stared dreamily at a crack in the wall. "Sometimes I wonder that too."

Ginny threw her sponge at the Ravenclaw.

"So mature, Weasley."

"And you're just the perfect model for maturity."

Snape strolled out of his office just as Luna stuck out her tongue at the red-head. "I suppose it would be too much to expect that you would actually be _working_."

Luna beamed "Working? Why of _course_ we're working! Can't you see? I've heard often that –"

"Fascinating as I'm sure the remark you were going to make was, I would rather not be subjected to the tedious task of listening to what you have to say. Besides, I have matters to attend to."

Ginny straightened "You're leaving?"

"Yes."

"Oh, well, such a pity. I was really looking forward to absolving the problem these cauldrons seem to have with grime. Ah, well, best be leaving then." Ginny said cheerily. Luna had resumed humming the odd tune.

"No, Weasley, you are not done. And won't be able to leave until those cauldrons are perfectly clean."

"So…" Ginny said choosing her words carefully "I'm glad to see you trust us enough to leave us here _unsupervised_ and are perfectly assured that we _will_ not to cause any _damage_. Some would call that irresponsible, but…" she trailed off leaving the promise of mischief hanging in the air. If Snape did leave them there continuing the horrible torture, she _would_ leave him a lovely little present to discover the next day.

Maybe something involving Fred and George's new product. Instant colourizer. She might just turn the dungeons into a fluffy, pink, frilly, lavender-like tearoom.

Snape merely smirked. "Actually, Weasley, I am leaving you in the supervision of the head boy."

Ginny saw Luna shoot up abruptly and stare at the potions master with a horrified look. "Now, professor," Luna eyes were even wider than usual "that's not a very good idea." In two seconds, the quirky Raven was right in front of the potions master. In a hushed voice Luna added "See, there's this absolutely horrible thing roaming the castle. A Marshmallow-y thing. And I don't know if you know this, but marshmallows are the world's worst horror. They've been haunting me, and if you leave…Oh, _professor,_ don't leave!" She finished in a terrified squeal.

Luna sounded so earnest that Ginny almost believed her. But after, talking with Luna for as long as she had, Ginny'd realised the girl was a fabulous actor and sometimes used what others called her "stupidity" to get what she wanted. And it often worked. The fact that Luna used marshmallows also helped, considering the current rumour floating around about her.

The corner of Snape's lip tugged, and it almost seemed as if the man was about to smile. At that moment, two boys sauntered in.

Draco and Blaise.

"Malfoy," Snape inquired "what are you doing here?"

Draco Malfoy rolled his eyes at the head boy, "Blaise, moron that he is, has been failing Charms, which I have begun helping him in, and since you so conveniently decided to have him baby-sit today, I am here out of force." The blonde said this with so much haughtiness and eloquence it was amazing. Ginny found it incredibly difficult to fight the odd emotion bubbling up in her chest that she refused to identify.

Ginny heard Luna softly muter "_Charms_? What the hell? It's _easy_."

"Very well, Malfoy," Snape sighed waving them aside. He then turned to Luna "Now as we were saying, as…_valid_, as you're concerns are, Lovegood, I'm sure the head boy will protect you."

Luna's eyes went impossibly huge. "But – but –" Luna found she had absolutely nothing to say. "But – but he _likes_ pink! The marshmallows are _pink_!"

Snape turned to face the two Slytherin boys "You are to make sure nothing _pink_ gets anywhere near Miss Lovegood." With that he turned to face Luna again "There. No pink marshmallows or _pudding_ to attack you here." Then the potions master swirled out of the room.

Luna was at the very point of screaming her brains out or smacking her head continuously with one of the dirty cauldrons. The Ravenclaw then proceeded to gather her things.

Ginny put her hand on Luna's arm and dragged the blonde closer "You are not leaving." she hissed

"I think I know what I'm doing better that you do."

"I will not leave and then accept a whole week's worth of detention when all we have left is one bleedin' hour's worth of cleaning."

"_I_ am leaving. **Not** _you_. _I_ will have the extra detention, **not** _you_."

Ginny groaned. "I am **not** staying here alone. _He's_ here. If you go, I go" The red-head said "he" as if the person in question was horrifying, fascinating, and disgusting all at the same time.

Luna stared exasperatedly at Ginny for a about a minute, the she dropped her bags almost regrettably "I am only doing this, because you're my friend." She paused "and, for future reference, any – shit – that happens here is your fault. And will forever be your fault."

"Fine." Ginny said curtly. And with that, the red-head picked up her miserable, floppy purple sponge and began scrubbing the cauldron with renewed vigour. She seemed almost eager. But the only thing, Ginevra Weasley, was eager about was finishing the damn thing quickly so she could put enough distance between herself and the abhorrent blonde as possible.

Three miles at the very least.

xXxXx

Blaise and Draco stared at the two girls with interest.

"Lovegood, is afraid of pink marshmallows?" Draco scoffed "I thought Pansy was kidding when she told me that."

"Pansy's full of shit."

"Then how do you explain that conversation she had with Snape?"

He shrugged "The quirks of Luna Lovegood?"

"More like the insanities." Then as a second thought he added "Ten galleons they leave."

"Alright. They won't leave."

"Hopeful wishing, Blaise?"

He faced the blonde "And you aren't hoping the same thing?"

"No fucking way." Actually, Draco Malfoy would much rather never see the red-head again if it was possible. But since he was at Hogwarts, that current wish could not be fulfilled, so he would just hope to _hardly_ ever see her. As long as the Weaslette was at the very _least_ ten miles away, he'd be fine. Better than fine. But right now, with her and her impossibly red hair not even _one_ mile away he was most definitely not fine. Farthest thing from fine. He might just go insane if they _didn't_ leave.

"Whatever you say." At that precise moment, both Luna and Ginny picked up their sponges and set back to cleaning.

Draco peered curiously at the red-head. She was scrubbing the cauldron so furiously he wouldn't be surprised if the damn thing broke.

"It looks like she's trying to murder the cauldron."

Draco tore his eyes away from the red-head and faced Blaise. Yes, Draco Malfoy might just venture into insanity. After all, he was staring at Ginevra Weasley. What moron stares at a pathetic Weasley? Ugh, he was so close to falling off the cliff and plunging into the deep ocean that was called insanity, it disgusted him. "So, on to your current deficiency in Charms."

Blaise gaze flicked to Draco with what seemed like regret. "It's an unintelligible class."

If Draco didn't know Blaise as well as he did, something like this wouldn't have seemed so climactic. Because the regret that flashed through Blaise's face was so fleeting it could hardly be counted and his usual princely, eloquent, charming expression fell into place so readily it was as if, Blaise really _was_ fine. But he wasn't fine. The moron, kept sneaking glances at the absurd Ravenclaw, and his eyes seemed to soften just a little when he looked at her.

A meaningless crush?

Not likely. Blaise Zabini did not have meaningless crushes. He found a girl who struck his fancy, used her until he got bored and moved on. And if the girl didn't care for him, Blaise never lingered on the thought. He did not spend countless hours writing the girl's name on a spare bit of parchment, collect butterbeer caps and align them on a bit of string, nor did he watch _any_ girl at all. He made sure _they_ were watching _him_. No, something was wrong with Blaise.

Very wrong.

"You just don't have the will to learn it. Or the very little brain-power needed."

Maybe it was just a sort of…insanity bug, which was floating around Hogwarts. After all, what _he_ did wasn't exactly sane either.

The opposite really.

Like sneaking out, after hours to meet a Weasley was sane.

After about thirty minutes of trying to make Blaise Zabini listen to at least _one_ word of Charms he gave up. Clearly the Slytherin was too preoccupied with the blonde Ravenclaw a few feet away. He was frustrated, because if he could not teach Blaise the boring points of Charms, then his brain was left to wander about, thinking treacherous thoughts.

Like the softness of Ginny Weasley's lips.

And the taste.

Allure.

Charm.

And his want to feel them against his once more.

Draco frowned and threw the Charms book at Blaise's head.

Blaise swore "What the hell!"

"Staring at the bird isn't going to make her want you. In fact, I'd say that all the energy you're exerting at staring at her is only infuriating her."

"I'm not – she's not – It's…"

"Annoying the hell out of her. I'd stop if I were you, unless you have decided that today is the perfect day for a cauldron-hat."

"Fine." He said angrily "What would you suggest?"

He raised an eyebrow "With, Lovegood? Murder all the marshmallows perhaps?"

Blaise looked nearly murderous.

"Hey, all I'm saying I that what you're doing isn't working. Give it up or try something else. I am personally favouring the first option."

"Shut up. Weren't you supposed to be teaching me something?"

"Weren't you supposed to be learning something?"

Blaise rolled his eyes. "Fine, what exactly are we covering right now?"

Teaching Charms might be a tedious bore but it was preferable to the current disgusting thoughts that seemed to slip surreptitiously into his mind whenever the red-head was nearby.

Yes, Draco Malfoy was most definitely insane.

xXxXx

**A/N**: I had originally intended this chapter to cover a lot more stuff, but then I looked it over and decided that if I was to cover all of it in this chapter it would be like a bazillion pages long and that might tire some people, so I decided to stop here. Also because, Bob, my loverly, not-imaginary, friend told me that it's already too long. But then again, Bob is mean, hangs out with Tom, and walks through walls so…

Okay, ignore me.

Just push that button right there, see real pretty and blue, and click the review thing-y and leave me a review. Pearly please? I'll love you forever.

Oh yeah! I think this chapter deserves a review, I wrote it during Algebra, so if I fail and don't get many reviews I'll be very unhappy. (But I never pay attention in Algebra; it's strangely easy. Or that's what I think anyway.)

Jenni

I just keep forgetting things. It's small, I swear! To, Taylor, (Who I think, can't be sure, has reviewed every single one of my fics) just wishing you luck with that vowel-less paragraph you have to memorize.


	8. Som

**Chapter 8: Som**

_- Okay, I have a new one. Add Harry and Potter together. What do you get? Not my name that's for sure. You want a hint? The initials are JKR -_

_  
_**"I believe in everything until it's disproved. So I believe in fairies, the myths, dragons. It all exists, even if it's in your mind. Who's to say that dreams and nightmares aren't as real as the here and now? Reality leaves a lot to the imagination."**

**-- John Lennon**

xXxXx

Between the sickly ardent pungent smell of "Lemony-fresh!" soap; the freezing airless temperature; her swinging matted hair that kept swishing rather annoyingly in her face; and the constant feeling of two brown eyes boring into her skull; Luna was not feeling even slightly at ease.

The content and blissfully unaware mood had slipped away just as Snape conveniently decide _not_ to supervise his own detention. She had always liked Snape, but this stunt was making her reconsider her thoughts about Snape being an okay guy.

Luna was seconds away from a mental breakdown. If the squishy floppy sponge underneath her fingernails could speak it would be squealing for help because she'd already poked quite a few holes in it and was almost certain her hands would tear it apart any second now.

Ginny Weasley seemed to be under the same state of distress and anger. But the red-head took quite a different route in expelling some of her anger. Instead she kept muttering undistinguishable statements under her breath and swearing when a spot "wouldn't come the fuck off." Needles to say both girls were having a very hard time dealing with detention supervised by Draco Malfoy and Blaise Zabini.

Luna huffed and threw her sponge on the table.

There were a lot of things Luna Lovegood could handle. Frankly there were very few things she _couldn't_ handle; among those few was Blaise Zabini's unwavering gaze. Couldn't the git stare at something else! She walked over to where the Blaise sat being explained the effects of calming charms.

She might just need one, so good thing the book was open at that page. Blaise watched her simply and looked at her curiously as she walked over.

Luna felt like screaming. Did he never stop staring? "Stop!" she nearly yelled out. She stood a few feet away from him. She closed her eyes taking deep calming breaths. "Stop staring at me." She managed to mutter through gritted teeth.

Blaise watched her with a serene smile "What if I don't want to?"

From beside him the blonde groaned and massaged his temple. "Idiot."

Luna, oblivious to Draco calling Blaise an idiot, fumed. She was gritting her teeth so hard they might very well grind down to dust sometime soon. Luna was trying very hard _not_ to explode. She was not the kind of person who exploded. That was Ginny Weasley's forte. She, Luna Lovegood, stayed calm, collected and cool during all instances. "I. Don't. Give. A. Shit. Quit it."

"You're beautiful, you know that?"

Whatever strings Luna was holding onto that connected her to collected composure snapped at that moment. Most girls preened when a guy told them they were pretty.

Luna loathed it.

Beauty was nothing but ignorance. It was a compliment given when there was no other compliment to give. It was an excuse, a fallacy, a complete joke. Luna was many things and had many things but she would proudly say that she contained none of that monstrous thing called beauty.

Lately life was doing one hell of a job pissing her off.

What with Voldemort dead, things should be all happy; rainbows, bunnies and lovely flowers.

_But no…_

Instead things were steadily going downhill.

That is if steadily meant at rocket speed. For one, she was completely filled with bitter and venom. Two, she was _failing_ Transfiguration. Three, rumours about her seemed to be reaching an all time high. And worst of all, Blaise – _fucking_ – Zabini wouldn't leave her the hell alone.

And he had the _nerve_ to call her beautiful? Who did that asshole think he was! Luna Lovegood was officially tired of being calm. Not to mention the fact that she'd lost all willpower to stay so.

So Luna slapped him. A hard thwack filled the potions room. With that she turned on her heel and marched back to the cauldrons and continued scrubbing them.

Blaise's chocolate skin had a bright red welt and his brown eyes were open wide. "She slapped me…"

Luna heard this from across the room and couldn't help the smug smile. Damn straight. And by the looks of that red mark it hurt.

xXxXx

Blaise touched his cheek gingerly. "_She_ slapped _me_!"

Draco started laughing.

"Aren't you listening? She _slapped_ me!

After a bit the blonde calmed down and stared at the Ravenclaw approvingly. "I noticed. Lovegood has more spunk than I thought."

"I mean what the hell! No one slaps me! Especially some scrawny little blonde Ravenclaw!"

Draco chortled "She had a good reason. _I_ would've slapped you."

"Why?" Blaise asked genuinely, clearly bemused "I didn't do anything to her."

"You've been staring at her for hours."

Blaise sputtered "That's no reason to slap me! No one's ever slapped me…"

"Which in reality I find surprising. Considering all the shit you've done to the girls at this school." Draco leaned back and watched the Raven angrily scrub the cauldron. Not doubt that one would be squeaky clean. Out of the corner of his eyes he saw Ginny drop her sponge and edge over to where Luna was. Draco ignored the strange compulsions that seemed to be springing up in his stomach.

Blaise was suffering. The idiot looked absolutely dreadful. He was confused, bemused, lost, angry, pissed off, sad and strangely enough a little turned on. No idea why, but he was. In his eyes the value of Luna had just gone up drastically. Before he couldn't stop staring at her and get her out of his head. Now he'd be dammed if he didn't get her to want him. He had no intention of stopping the chase he'd started, hell no. It was on. Luna Lovegood would be his if he had to go to hell and back.

"Well," Draco drawled "She's not exactly normal now is she? You stare at her she gets pissed, you tell her she's pretty she slaps you." Draco looked at Blaise "You know, I like her."

Blaise glared at him. "You don't – she – not – MINE."

Draco raised an eyebrow. "I never said she wasn't. I don't like her _that_ way. She's all yours."

"Oh." He muttered relieved. "Good." After a bit he groaned and mussed his black hair. "This is too fucking complicated."

"I beg to differ" Draco grinned. "It's simple and hilarious."

"It is _not_ simple and I'm sure it's as hilarious as your affection for, Weasley."

Draco's smile fell. "We have work to do."

Touchy. Apparently the dragon still didn't want to talk about that little tryst he had with the red-head. Fine by him. If Draco wanted to carry that secret to the grave then he could damn well bury it with him.

So maybe Blaise was a little bitter.

But hell, he'd just been slapped. He deserved to be a little bitter and sardonic.

xXxXx

"Lousy…no good…Asshole-y git!" Luna muttered angrily scrubbing the cauldron as if it was to blame for the recent events

"Luna," Ginny asked softly "can I ask you a question?"

"Aren't you already?" She spat

"Why'd you slap him?"

Luna slammed the sponge down on the desk. "Cause he's an ass."

"But…you – I've never seen you – why _now_?"

She pushed the blonde strands off of her face and in a pained voice she said "He called me beautiful."

Ginny was absolutely perplexed "Luna, that's a compliment."

Luna violently shook her head. How could the Gryff not understand? It was really simple. "I hate being called pretty. I don't like people telling me that." Luna could feel the tears well up in her eyes.

Stupid tears.

Oh, how she hated them.

"Oh, Luna," Ginny hugged the blonde "look, I guess I can't really tell you anything since I don't get it, but it can't be that bad. Can it?"

Luna scoffed "Ginny it's horrible." She shifted uncomfortable the tears threatening to fall. "Please don't hug me. If you hug me, it makes the tears fall. Worse they fall faster and in larger amounts. Everyone knows tears are bad. They bring the Squich-Tevern."

Ginny let go of the blonde "Of course."

Luna rubbed her eyes. "Oh, this is stupid. All of it's _stupid_." She muttered bitterly. She was crying. Jeez, twice in one week. Things were falling apart. Dying, breaking, slowly being destroyed. She never cried, why the hell did she constantly feel the need to cry now?

Tears were so icky.

All wet and salty. It's not like they solved anything. They just poured out. She had better things to do than to wipe away stupid tears. Besides tears allured mischief-making creatures.

Crying was pointless.

So why the _hell_ did she want to cry all the fucking time now?

Ginny sighed, her brown eyes drifting subconsciously to the blonde Slytherin. "I couldn't agree more."

xXxXx

Just then an insanely loud clamour began in Snape's office.

The four students each turned abruptly to face the noise coming through Snape's closed door.

"Well?" Ginny asked slowly not taking her eyes of the brown door.

"Well, what?" Blaise asked also not diverting gaze away from the door. The noise seemed to have increased in volume.

"Aren't you going to see what's going on?"

"Why should I?"

"Because you're head boy." Luna muttered staring at the door with a vexed expression.

"And, supervising our detention." Added the red-head

"I bet it's the Squich-Tevern. They like making noise." Luna stated dreamily

"I hardly doubt that's it, Luna."

"Why?" Luna asked offended

"That's not a real creature."

"Who says its not?"

"Experts."

Luna tossed her hair back "_experts_." She sneered "What do they know? What do you know? What authority do _you_ have to say something doesn't exist?"

The door boomed again and the argument that may have resulted from this between Ginny and Luna was halted. So, Zabini?" Ginny said tentatively "Aren't you gonna see what…_that_" she pointed at the door "is?"

Blaise swore. Stupid head boy duties. He made his way to the door slowly. Blaise Zabini had been taught many things as a child. One of those things was to never go near something unknown that might possibly kill you. And opening a door with an unknown creature inside was among those, but _hey_, that was just him, perhaps some people got a kick out of endangering their lives.

He personally did not.

He placed his hand on the knob and opened the door. As soon as just a tiny crack was emitted a small brown blur shot out.

Ginny screamed.

"Fuck." Blaise shouted as the blur shot past him and zoomed about the whole room knocking over every single thing. "What the hell is it!"

Ginny screamed again and ducked under a table. Draco followed suit and ducked under a different table.

Luna, who unlike everyone else did not even seem the least bit perturbed that a small brown thing was crashing into everything in the room a lightning speed, started singing. It was a soft sweet melodic tune that didn't quite seem to be in the English language. It sounded…Italian or maybe Spanish. Whatever it was the tune seemed to have a rare sort of rhythm, it didn't seem to belong together yet coming form her voice it fit. The blur stopped moving almost instantly and landed right in front of Luna. Luna stopped singing and peered at the brown creature happily. "Hello."

It was small, about the size of an itty bitty mouse. It had large, profound, shining, starling blue eyes. Instead of having a black pupil, it's were white. It had a wet orange nose that twitched every now and then; floppy ears that looked and soft and reached to the table top; and the animal was covered in a sheen soft brown fur. Other than those few qualities it looked an awful lot like a squirrel. "Hello." It said in child-like voice

"Holy shit!" Ginny jumped hitting her head with the desk. "Oh, _oww_..." the red-head grumbled coming out from under the table to join the others who were all standing and watching the brown creature.

The small thing chuckled "Not very smart fire-head."

Draco snorted "Fire-head…"

Blaise eyed the thing "What are you?"

"He means who." Luna said to the creature giving Blaise the evil eye.

"I meant what." He retorted bitterly

The fluffy brown thing looked at the two and smiled a twisted broad grin "I am a Squich-Tevern but I am named, Som."

"Som?"

It nodded.

Ginny straightened "A Squich-Tevern? Shit," she faced Luna "isn't that…? You said…You were right."

Luna smiled "Of course. I told you that they made a lot of noise."

The potions room was in complete disarray. Som had toppled over practically every single thing in the room. Ginny groaned "Snape's gonna kill us." At that moment the door clicked open and Ginny jumped. "Crap. He's here."

"He won't get mad, we didn't do it." Luna said simply "It wasn't our fault"

"Like that has ever stopped Snape from being unjust before." Ginny muttered "besides we didn't even clean the cauldrons like we were supposed to."

Luna yawned "He's never unfair to Slytherins. Besides I'll just finish the cauldrons tomorrow."

Ginny frowned "You have detention tomorrow?"

"Probably. McGonagall wants an essay about shape-shifting spells and I'm planning to cut out the article in the Quibbler that talks about the misuses of those spells in the ministry and turn that in instead."

Blaise peered at Luna curiously and Draco scoffed "Really, Lovegood, you could I don't know, actually _do_ the work."

Luna set her big eyes on him. His grey eyes were sprinkled with mirth. He found her actions funny. This didn't offend her – it was merely a new reaction. She was usually greeted with annoyance, frustration, anger or indifference. "I don't like Transfiguration." She muttered dazedly

"Oh, really?" Ginny asked with evident disbelief in her eyes

"Fine." Luna exclaimed "I don't get it."

"Why? It's easy?" Blaise asked

Luna frowned "Well, I for one find it astonishing that a guy who can't pass Charms is honestly telling me Transfiguration is easy. _Charms_, which is the world's easiest subject." She spat this out angrily. Something about that boy just got on her nerves.

Blaise's eyes widened a bit then darkened considerably. He looked as if he was about to reply something nasty when Draco leaned over and muttered something in Blaise's ear just as Snape walked in.

It took a total of three seconds for Snape to explode, he surveyed the room quickly from the broken shards to the dirty cauldrons to the four of them and he burst out yelling. "WHAT HAPPENED HERE!"

Ginny, Draco and Blaise started talking at once. Luna said nothing.

"LOVEGOOD!"

Luna blinked "Yeah?"

"What happened?" he demanded through gritted teeth. Luna found it peculiar that he could yell through gritted teeth. She wondered if it took any practice or it just came to him naturally. "Well…it was the Squich-Tevern. It came shooting out of your closet then it flew all over the room knocking over absolutely everything. I remembered they are subdued by song so I snag and it stopped and it made the mess not me or them." Luna uttered all this in one breath.

I took Snape a course of three minutes to figure out exactly what the Ravenclaw had said. His mouth curled in disgust and he faced Blaise "What really happened!"

"I – er – well – exactly what she said."

"YOU EXPECT ME TO BELIEVE THAT AN IMAGINARY ANIMAL DID THIS!"

"Yes?"

"It's not imaginary!" Ginny protested "I saw it! Look, its right there!" She pointed to the table where Som had been. He wasn't there anymore. "Shit." The little creature seemed to have disappeared.

"I don't see anything, Weasley." He hissed

"It _was_ there." Draco drawled

"You are playing this game as well, Malfoy?" Snape spat.

All four continued to protest the existence of the Squich-Tevern. No one louder than Luna Lovegood who for good measure was describing what it looked like. "…with brown floppy ears and –"

"ENOUGH!" he yelled "THIRTY POINTS EACH!"

"But –" Ginny started to protest

"AND YOU WILL ALL HAVE DETENTION FOR A WEEK! Now all of you LEAVE!"

xXxXx

"I don't _deserve_ detention!" Draco ranted as he entered the common room "_I_ can't have _detention_!"

Blaise followed Draco and dropped his bag on the table. "You are just saying that 'cause you have it with Weasley."

"YES! That's exactly why I'm saying it and I'm blaming it all on you! This was all your bleeding fault!"

"My fault!" He retorted angrily "How is this _my_ fault!"

"You wouldn't stop staring at the bird! Like she was _that_ fucking intriguing! She probably summoned the stupid creature!"

"I resent that." A childish voice spoke from inside of Blaise's bag. Som then quickly scampered out and landed in front of the two boys.

"Fuck!" They both shouted jumping back

"I am _not_ stupid and it was not the nice girl who I came for."

The two boys looked at the creature with the same expression one would look at a blast-ended skrewt.

"It was him," Som pointed at Draco "and Red."

xXxXx

**A/N**: Ta-da! I know I'm an evil person and haven't updated in like years but I've been busy (which my way of saying I've been extremely lazy.) See I had this chapter finished ages ago I just hadn't gotten around to typing it up. (I'd finished it in Algebra again) But I decided I _had_ to update before Tuesday 'cause I'm gonna be busy. For real this time. I have to do some UIL competition in San Angelo which is seven hours from where I live. Apparently we'll be leaving Thursday, so I have some studying to do. (Ugh,) I'm nervous and yeah, so wish me luck and I hope you liked this chapter.

Love,

Jenni


	9. The story

**Chapter 9:** The "Story"

_- I think I read somewhere, that Harry Potter and Harry Potter related content belonged to this woman named J. K. Rowling, but I just _can't_ be sure. -_

1**"Behold, we know not anything we can but trust that good shall fall at last to all, and every winter shall change to spring."  
-Lord Alfred Tennyson**

Blaise Zabini was being tortured. He'd been sitting in his empty dormitory for _eight hours_ trying desperately to finish his essay for Charms. So far all he had was his name in the left hand corner.

Plus the fact that the stupid Squich-Tevern – Som – wouldn't _shut up_ wasn't helping him finish the essay. It had just been sitting on his desk talking and talking and _talking_! He wasn't even talking about anything relevant; The Squich-Tevern was just sprouting any random comment he thought prudent.

"…AND," Som continued "oranges are disgusting! They're all squishy and watery, _plus_ who would call a fruit by its _colour_? Thank you, but _I_ won't eat anything that named after its colour!"

Blaise groaned and lay back on his bed willing the voice to fade away.

It wasn't disappearing at ALL.

"I prefer peanut butter. It's sticky, tasty and incredibly peanut-y. OH! And I – "

"Didn't you say you appeared because of Draco and the Weaselette?"

Som started jumping around the desk "Yup!" It exclaimed cheerfully

"THEN GO BOTHER THEM!" Zabini screamed as the door creaked open revealing a white-blonde Slytherin boy.

"Dear lord, Zabini, _shut_ up." Draco winced bringing his hands to his ears. The blonde closed the door and leaned against it.

"Tell that – that THING!"

Som hopped off the desk and jumped on Blaise's bed. "Tell me what? I'm not a thing! I haven't done anything. _You_ just have an incredibly bad temper. Very impatient too!" He turned to Draco "Aren't I right?"

Draco smirked

"Oh, don't you dare, Malfoy!"

Draco raised his hands in surrender "I'm not doing anything." Som started bounding exuberantly all over the bed. "Always quick to accuse aren't you?" The smirk widened considerably

"Shut up." Blaise picked up his parchment and stared at it.

"As sure as I am that you are making _fabulous_ progress with that essay, I believe you have some head boy meeting or something with Granger."

Blaise crumpled up the paper "So true. Must get going." He nearly jumped off the bed

"Never thought _you'd_ be happy to spend time with that mudblood."

"Anything's preferable to that bleeding essay." Blaise snatched his bag and nearly ran out of the room. Sure, delaying the essay might not be the smartest thing ever but he wasn't going to get anything done at all today.

XXXXX

"You're late, Zabini." Granger muttered bitterly as he entered the classroom. The Gryffindor was sitting neatly on a chair glaring angrily at a parchment.

"I know."

Granger dropped the book and her eyes narrowed. "You're insufferable."

Blaise raised an eyebrow and dropped his bag on the desk. Pulling a chair out he eyed Granger. "Pissed off are we?"

"Well, while _you_ were out doing God knows what; I've been stuck here for an hour doing the work _we_ were supposed to do!"

He shrugged "I didn't even know we were going to be doing anything of value."

"Well you would if you would have been here on _time_!"

Blaise grabbed the papers in front of Granger. He quickly scanned through them. "A _ball_? A _ball_, Granger? You're having trouble organising a _ball_?"

The Gryffindor snatched back her papers. "It's not easy."

"It's ridiculously easy."

"What would you suggest then? And don't you dare just read off of my list."

Blaise wrinkled his nose in distaste. "I wouldn't dream of it." He pulled the papers back and scanned them. "First off, you have no theme. All you have is decorations. You wont get anywhere by just hanging up a few multi-coloured streamers and balloons. Second, the rest of this is useless seeing how everything about the party _must_ revolve around the theme."

The Gryffindor peered at him questioningly "A theme?"

"You know an object, colour, or era. I'd figured you'd know what theme meant."

Granger pursed her lips. "And what _theme_ would you suggest, Zabini? Slytherin glory?"

"This is being held on Halloween right?"

"I wrote that down." Granger explained "Because of that, I'd figured we'd do a costume ball."

Blaise waved his hand in the air dismissing the idea. "To overused. We should do –"

"_Overused_? It's classic. People love classics!"

"People also get bored of classics. We should do a sort of dark medieval type thing. We already have the old architecture. We just decorate the place with some classic, dark, rich colours; party favours always go well too; perhaps a small contest, people love winning you see…"

Granger rolled her eyes "Quite the party planner, aren't you?"

Blaise smirked handing her back the papers "Would you rather I leave you to come up with the ideas? I don't care if other people complain about a ruined party. It would actually quite make my day as everyone knows I'm incapable of planning such a ball. My mother's soirees are always…anticipated eagerly."

"You're going to make me ask you to help plan it?"

"Face it, Granger; you know nothing about planning a ball. Not even a half-way decent one."

The Gryffindor scowled "Fine, I _desperately_ need your help with this." She said rolling her eyes.

"Attitude, Granger. That will get you in trouble one day."

"Were do we start?" She asked exasperated.

XXXXX

Blaise leaned back in his chair as Granger gathered her things. As odd as it sounded he had fun. He liked throwing parties and found it insanely fun to plan one. He would always help his mother plan hers and the whole prospect had just rubbed off on him. He almost didn't _mind_ Granger's company. Although her ignorance was highly frustrating.

"We have a prefect meeting _tomorrow_, Zabini. Don't forget. I'll have Dumbledore speak to Snape so he'll excuse you from detention. Show up on _time_, will you." Granger stressed walking out of the room.

Blaise groaned as he realised that he now had to return to his bleeding essay.

"She's bossy."

"Fuck!" Blaise jumped falling off of his chair onto the cold hard floor. "Dammit, Som! Would you stop that!"

The Squich-Tevern had made it a habit to just _appear_ at random times in random places throughout the day. "I don't like her. She's too…_frizzy_."

"I don't like her either." He muttered standing up. "What're you here for?"

"To talk."

"About?"

"The dragon."

Blaise plopped down on the chair again. "What about him?"

"We need to help him."

"With?"

Som scrambled up and sat on top of his bag. "With Red."

"Run that by me again."

Som sighed. "He fancies her. _She_ fancies him. We need to make what should happen, happen." Som smiled broadly "We need to get them together."

Blaise stared at the Squich-Tevern. "You're not serious are you?" Som nodded "I – that's a stupid idea. I mean, he's a _Malfoy_ and she's a _Weasley_."

The creature huffed. "Why are you so caught up on names?"

"It's not the names I'm caught up on; it's the attributes that follow the names. Malfoys are arrogant, prideful, over-achieving MORONS. And Weasleys are hot-headed, impatient, blunt, loving IDIOTS. What you're trying to do wont work; _both_ of them will make sure it doesn't."

"That's why _I'm_ here. To make sure they _do_ let it happen."

Blaise rolled his eyes. "Any particular reason, you feel like doing this?"

"I'm bored."

"So, you're going to try to create the world's least unlikely romantic pair because you're bored?"

"Yes."

"Fine." Blaise surrendered agreeing with the creature on a level. There was something there between the two, something that needed to be pulled together. This thing obviously popped up because of it and if it felt like intervening, well, Blaise just _couldn't_ let him do it alone for the fear that he _might_ do something stupid. The mere fact that Som wanted to do something he found perfectly reasonable only made the reasons to help him more appealing. "What are we doing?"

Som's nose twitched. "First we need _the story_."

"What story?"

"Don't be stupid. I know him and Red had something before, I just want to know what."

The Slytherin sighed. "I don't know. He won't tell me."

"Have you tried?"

"Of course."

"I mean really _tried_. You're so caught up with Moon that I doubt you've really tried to figure it out."

Blaise frowned. As much as he hated to admit it, the Squich-Tevern had a point. He hadn't _really_ tried. He preferred to be submerged in his obsessive thoughts. He hadn't bothered to really care about his friend and what had happened to him.

Well, that was going to change.

"Good point. Now, leave me alone. Go bother someone or something else."

XXXXX

Blaise lay on the green sofa staring avidly at the fire as Draco Malfoy stretched out on an armchair flipping through a book. "So…"

"So, what, Zabini?"

"I think," Blaise sat up "that we need to talk."

"Well, _I_ think, you're wrong."

"Whatever did happen with Weasley?"

"It's irrelevant."

"See, I don't think that's the case. If it was, I would leave you alone, but I think you feel something for the hot-blooded Gryffindor." Blaise paused "And I want to know why."

Draco closed the book. "There is _nothing_ there. Stop insisting there is."

"If there's nothing _there_, Draco, then tell me what happened."

Draco looked for a minute as if he would say something then shook his head and began reading the book again.

Blaise sighed. He was frustrating. "What if I asked her?"

"You really think she would tell you? I didn't figure your level of stupidity was that high."

"What's it going to take?"

"For what?"

"For you to tell me." Were it anyone else he would have let it alone. But this was Draco – _sodding_ – Malfoy. _His best friend_. Clearly this thing was bothering him and he needed to let it out. He just had to much damn pride to talk about it.

"I'm not saying anything."

Blaise sighed, cursing himself as he knew what he had to say. He didn't mind telling Draco his secrets, but…he wasn't to keen on telling him about Luna when he wasn't even sure if the blonde Slytherin would understand. But that's why Draco wouldn't tell him. He was so sure that Blaise didn't get it. Whatever _it_ was. An eye for any eye…If he wanted to know he'd have to divulge some reasonable leverage as well. "I…She's different."

Draco peered at him curiously.

"Luna, I mean. She's…not like everyone else, I guess it's because of that that I wanted to know more about her. And then…things went awry…I like her but…in a different way. I don't just want her for…" he sighed and in a quiet voice muttered "a _quick shag_. I actually like her and don't want to hurt her. I don't – I don't know _why_. Don't ask me why. Lately I've been so confused, because I don't _get_ it. I'm trying to but this _thing_ just eludes me. You wondered why I cared. I know you didn't ask but I could see it; the truth is I _don't_ know. I wish I did…but I don't…" he finished quietly.

Draco closed the book and stared at his friend for a few minutes before closing his eyes. He leaned back. "Merlin, I still can't…Lovegood, it's…no crazier than what I'm feeling…" Draco sighed. "You really want to know, Blaise? I was tired. Tired of everything and I'm guessing she was too." Draco snorted "That always gave me a laugh. I saw her with Potter one night by the pond. I watched her for no other reason than the fact that I was bored. She looked lost. It seemed that she wanted to kiss him but he pulled away. It looked as if Potter said something vile and he…left. So when scar-head left I went over with the intention of insulting her about it. She didn't let me."

Blaise watched the Slytherin. His voice was filled with remorse, regret and a touch of wonder.

"She just stood up shoved me back and told me to leave 'any snide comments' to myself. Then…she started crying. I would have laughed or let her alone, but she started crying on me. She leaned her head against my chest and…cried. All I remember is wanting her to shut up desperately because I couldn't handle her crying it was just…I couldn't handle it. So I pulled her away a little, pushed her God-awful red hair off her face and I said something…I said something nice. I comforted her. I don't even remember how, but I remember telling her it was okay, that Potter was stupid, and – and…" He sighed "Other things. I don't even know how it happened from there. But we ended up kissing. And I liked it. The next day we both pretended nothing happened, but two weeks later I found her wandering the corridors late at night and we…it happened again. It went on like that for awhile. I don't remember how long, but we did."

There was a long silence before Blaise stated "I'm guessing it stopped."

"Yes."

Blaise had an urge to ask why but he didn't need to. He knew why, it wasn't precisely hard to guess. Clearly he'd wanted to continue, either Weasley had wanted to stop period or she'd wanted more than just the physical aspects Draco was so keen on giving her. "You regret it." Blaise said in absolute awe.

"No. It's for the best."

"That doesn't mean anything. Even if it's for the best that doesn't mean we won't regret things. Even if it's the worst doesn't mean we will regret them."

"I'm better off, she's better off. Everything is better."

Maybe for her. He looked bloody miserable. That's when it hit him.

Draco Malfoy _cared_ about the Weaslette. Would wonders never cease?

"I'm going to bed, Zabini." Draco muttered setting down the book

Blaise grunted in reply. Well, things were just grand. Apparently both he and his friend were inherently being tortured by two insane witches. Different ones, but both clinically insane. And to top it off, he hadn't finished his essay.

Yup, things were _great_.

**A/N**: I'm SO sorry! I really thought I'd have this chapter up earlier, but then fanfiction wouldn't let me access my profile for three days and then afterwards I've been super busy forever. (This time I really mean it! I wasn't lazy this time. I actually should be doing my homework right now but…) I really did try, honest!

Though I don't like this chapter much, it seems…off. I don't know.

Bet you don't know what Som's planning…

By the way do you know if it's "Weaselette" or "Weaslette"? I'm confused.

I'd also like to warn you it might take me awhile to update the next chapter, I'm overloaded with homework, joined this stupid NHI thing and on top of that I've got to work on this dance for a spring concert. So…just a warning.


	10. Som's Great Plan

**Chapter 10:** Som's "_Great _Plan"

_- Look! Look! It's the person who owns Harry Potter! Aww, damn, it's not me. -_

1**"There is a battle that goes on between men and women. Many people call it love."**

**- Edvard Munch **

xXxXx

Som twitched his nose watching the two Slytherins with great interest. _The story_ was interesting but didn't particularly change anything. Som was settled on the top of the fireplace behind a few books watching the exchange. Sometimes it paid off to be small. No one saw you.

Som was never happier than he was when he had a plan to put into action. Right now he was busy making one.

Som smiled, if things went as planned Dragon and Red wouldn't be the only ones benefiting from his plan…

He smirked and skittered off.

What fun.

xXxXx

Luna idly twirled the quill in her fingers watching as it span round and round carelessly in her fingers.

"Luna!" Ginny hissed swatting her softly on the arm.

Luna flicked her gaze to Ginny dropping the quill on her desk. "What?" she asked lazily the boredom she was suffering reaching an all time high.

"Flitwick asked you a question."

Luna straightened.

"Well, Miss Lovegood?" The short professor asked.

"Er…It…"

Ginny rolled her eyes "Tinere charm."

"It's a containment charm. You place it on an object and it holds whatever you wish."

"Five points to Ravenclaw."

"The spell can be placed on an object or person. This is a very old spell and few people use it nowadays; this spell is most commonly used during wars or battles. It ahs been used in past wars to enchant an object to hold a secret message. Or at least that's what it was most often used for. It enchants an object carefully so unless you know that it's charmed and who charmed it it's nearly impossible to find what was contained."

Luna yawned tuning out professor Flitwick. She just wasn't in the mood to listen to this.

In truth, Luna liked Charms and she really _did_ like Flitwick. He was short and a little too happy but he was a really good person. Plus Charms was easy. The only reason she wasn't paying attention was because she was a bit preoccupied with the Squich-Tevern that had just disappeared.

Luna had believed in the creature since forever and the minute she _finally_ saw one it up and disappeared.

It was just her luck.

For years, Luna had wanted to meet a Squich-Tevern. She'd wanted to meet one because her mother had.

Not that her father ever said anything about Veronica Lovegood. Her father seemed to believe that if he never mentioned it, then it didn't happen.

The only things Luna knew about her mother were from the passages she'd read in Veronica's diary.

True, Luna knew diaries were a personal thing, but to her it was the only thing that told her of her mother. It explained what her mum was like and what she believed in. The one thing that she found the most interesting in the diary were the passages that spoke of a Squich-Tevern with whom she was a very good friend.

That was why Luna had been so pleased to see a _real_ Squich-Tevern and then it just – **poof** – disappeared.

Wonderful.

"Class dismissed."

Luna gathered her things.

"Are you okay, Luna?" Ginny asked "You seemed rather…_off_ today." She gathered her things quickly. "I mean, you haven't been paying attention all day. I would've understood but you didn't even pay attention during Charms. You _love_ Charms. Seriously, what's wrong?"

"Nothing. I'm fine. It's just," Luna sighed following Ginny out of the class. "How could it just disappear? How can it do that?"

Ginny's brow furrowed "It?"

"The Squich-Tevern! Som!"

"Well, maybe it has powers you didn't know about."

"That's not the point!" she exclaimed "I've wanted to see one my whole life! And when I do it's only for _four_ minutes! It's just not fair."

Ginny shrugged. "Maybe it's still in the castle. You might see it again.

"I doubt it."

"Well there's hoping. We have detention with McGonagall today maybe…Som… will appear in her office."

Luna groaned. "That's right. I have detention with that stupid Gryffindor."

"Are you referring to me or McGonagall?" Ginny said with a smile

Luna made a face. "You know who I'm talking about." She slipped her books into her bag. "OH!" Luna exclaimed the knowledge of past events dawning on her. "That's right! I blame _you_! You made me stay, so I got detention! I stayed because of you so ergo it's all _your_ fault!"

"Ah, but it's _my_ fault you got to see a Squich-Tevern. You've _always_ wanted to see one."

The Ravenclaw frowned. "Stupid Ginny gave me stupid detention with stupid McGonagall and using the stupid excuse that I got to see the stupid Squich-Tevern for four stupid minutes." She muttered this bitterly, kicking imaginary rocks out of the way.

Fine, so maybe the detention with McGonagall wasn't for absolutely no reason.

She _did_ get to see a Squich-Tevern.

Ginny Weasley merely smiled.

xXxXx

"A love potion?" Blaise asked incredulously

The Squich-Tevern nodded happily

"You have _got_ to be kidding me."

"Why?" It asked jumping up and down around his bed "I think it's an excellent idea."

Blaise would strangle the little creature if it didn't remind him of the pet squirrel he'd had as a little kid. "It's a STUPID idea. Someone's bound to realize that they're charmed and when they do they'll reverse the spell and the two idiots will hate each other even more!"

"You don't understand the workings of a brilliant mind."

"Brilliantly insane."

"It's a perfect plan." He argued

"No. It's not."

"What would you know? You're a stupid human, who may I add, can't even get Moon to stand your presence."

He couldn't bring himself to strangle Som but maybe…just maybe he would be able to slip him some poison…That wasn't _too_ cold. No one would even know he'd done it. "Precisely," he spat through gritted teeth. "I _am_ human. I know how human minds work and your plan is not going to work."

"You just watch." Som boasted then, POP! Disappeared.

Blaise swore. That stupid Squich-Tevern was going to make them loathe each other. They already had a bad "relationship"; this would make it _so_ much worse.

Plus if Draco found out what the Squich-Tevern was doing, the thing might just be strangled – and not by Blaise.

Blaise looked at the blank parchment on his desk that was telling him he needed to finish the Charms essay.

But how could he think about that, when the happiness of his best friend was at stake?

Well, he reasoned he would just have to set aside some plans of his own to ensure that Draco wouldn't kill Som, stop moping and end up with Ginevra Weasley. Plus he had to be certain Som didn't put his stupid plan into action.

He would need to get working on these plans right away if he wanted them to work…

Blaise glared at the essay he still hadn't even begun and decided the future of his best friend was far more important than any essay.

Or at least, that was his excuse.

First things first, he had to figure out how to keep Som from doing that stupid thing.

Dammit. He was going to need Luna's help.

xXxXx

"Luna?"

Luna closed her eyes and imagined she was in Paris or something. Not in the halls of Hogwarts with Blaise Zabini calling her. He'd been calling her for about two hallways and he _still_ wouldn't go away. Honestly, she was doing her best to ignore him but if he kept bothering her she might just have to see what the hell he wanted.

"Dammit, Lovegood, would you just listen for five seconds."

She turned abruptly bumping into him. Damn. He was fast. Two minutes ago he was still a while away. She backed away a bit. "What?"

Blaise ran a hand through his hair. "Well, it's about…"

Luna pursed her lips. "About what?"

"Ginny…and Draco…and their…relationship…"

"Their what?" Luna asked with a frown. Ginny and Draco had NO relationship. Ginevra Weasley had made that perfectly clear.

Blaise then conceded in telling her the story of what had happened between Draco and Ginny and Som's plans concerning the two.

"He's still here!" Luna exclaimed happily. Luna felt like jumping around, dancing even. The Squich-Tevern was still in the castle.

"Yes, the damn thing won't leave me alone. It's bloody annoying. Won't shut up, and then there's his stupid _plan_…"

"He really wants to give them a _love_ potion?"

"Yes!" Blaise exclaimed throwing his hands in the air. "I told the creature it was a stupid plan but he just won't listen!"

Luna shook her head. "A love potion, really. That's just…stupid." She frowned "And when is he planning on doing this?"

He shrugged and grasped her hand pulling her towards the door leading outside. He desperately wanted some fresh air. "No clue." He muttered as the Ravenclaw pulled her hand away sharply. She sent him a particularly evil stare, but he ignored it. It wasn't more evil than the ones she saved for him whenever they passed each other in the hall. Her angry looks weren't anything out of the ordinary. In fact it would be odd if he _hadn't_ been given at least one every day.

For the life of him he couldn't understand why Luna suddenly _hated_ him. She had reason to dislike him, sure, but to _hate_ him? That seemed a little overboard.

x

Luna pulled her hand away quickly and glared at him, but the Slytherin either didn't notice or didn't care.

What was wrong with him! Seriously. What would compel the stupid bastard to grab her hand! It was _her_ hand!

She hated him or had she not made that clear?

Well, she didn't hate him per say, but she couldn't _stand_ him!

Especially when he did things like that!

"So…" She muttered the contempt evident in her voice or so she hoped "What does this have to do with me?"

"I would actually like to see them together and with Som's "Great Plan" it's just not going to happen. I'd figured you'd want them together too… or at the very least you'd want to stop Som from giving them the love potion." He paused and lay down on the grass "Am I right or wrong?"

Luna sat down next to him and bit her lip.

She wasn't sure if she wanted them to be together. Ginny clearly stated that anything that had conspired between the two was over but…Luna didn't think it was. She had a feeling Ginny wanted it to continue; she was just afraid of something.

Luna didn't want to intervene but…Ginny was her friend and weren't friends supposed to help out their friends even if their friends didn't know they needed help? Or something like that? Ugh. Friendship was complicated. Maybe things were better when she didn't have any friends.

"Well, I don't want Som giving them the love potion…I'm not sure about them being together."

"Well, as long we agree on that, I was hoping you would help me make sure Som didn't do anything stupid."

Luna sighed lying on her back. "I didn't even know he was still here! How am I supposed to stop him from doing something stupid if I can't even see him?"

"Trust me, Som's fast, hides well and gets bored easily but you'll smell his stupid plans a mile away."

Luna wrinkled her nose. "I don't believe you, but okay."

"Okay what?"

"Just okay."

Blaise sat up. "You're good at Charms right?"

"Yeah. Why?"

"Draco's good at it but he's a horrible teacher. Worse than Flitwick."

"Flitwick's not bad." Luna started to protest

"Well to me he is. Would you help me with an essay?"

Luna bit her lip. Helping him with an essay meant more time spent in his presence. It meant more horrifying torture to endure. It also meant that she might be able to see Som. Especially if Blaise had been telling the truth about the part where he said Som never left him alone…

Plus it was charms. How bad could it be?

"Sure." She replied. "Sure." She briefly wondered if she'd made a mistake.

xXxXx

**A/N**: I know, I know it's been ages since I updated this thing and I have absolutely no excuse. So PLEASE forgive me. I'm not abandoning this story! Though if it's any consolation I've got the entire plot figured out (A miracle!) so I'll be updating a lot sooner. Plus I'm on vacation so there's that. I'll also be making some corrections in the past chapters, so if you get an alert it might just be me fixing earlier chapters.

Even though I don't deserve a review cause I've taken ages to update I'd really, _really_ appreciate it.


	11. Just A LOT of Distraction

**Chapter 11:** Just A _LOT_ of Distraction

_- I just had the most HORRIBLE revelation! While I was rummaging through my possessions basking in the joy of owning what few things I do, I realised Harry Potter isn't one of them! Oh how horrendous... -_

1**"My hopes are so high that your kiss might kill me. So won't you kill me? So I die happy." **

**-Dashboard Confessional**

xXxXx

So maybe it was a bad idea.

_Maybe_.

Sure he wasn't _really_ listening to any of the words flowing from her pretty little mouth so he couldn't _actually_ be _learning_ anything during the tutoring session, but…On the other hand, he _was_ spending the day with her in _very_ close proximity without her glaring at him – or at the very least not as much as she usually did.

Plus, he was probably just genetically engineered not to understand Charms, so if he was going to not understand Charms with someone it stood to reason that she was the best person to not understand it with.

After all, she was very pretty. What with her dirty blond hair pulled up into a ponytail, and that small strand of hair that seemed to have slipped and kept swinging freely in her face. And the way she bit her bottom lip nervously when she tried to explain something difficult… Blaise had stopped wondering where his sanity had run off to. Wherever it had gone it obviously wasn't going to come back anytime soon. Like they said, when in Rome… If he was going to be insane he might as well enjoy every minute of it.

Really now, if he wasn't going to learn anything he should at least be able to…_examine_ someone like her. Someone so…_beautiful_.

Blaise smiled. This logic made perfect sense to him. Then again, he had never really been logical…_Especially_ when it came to women.

"Are you even listening?" She asked exasperatedly brushing that stubborn hair aside.

He smirked. "Of course I was." No need to let _her_ know he was genetically engineered to not understand charms. Then he wouldn't have an excuse to be this close to her and have her talk to him amiably.

"What did I say then?"

Of course, if she asked questions like that, she would begin to get the notion in her head that he wasn't learning anything. And if that notion got into her pretty little head then her pretty little head, with her pretty little lips would refuse to help him with Charms and then well, he wouldn't have an excuse to be near her anymore. No, that would not do well. "You want me to repeat it all, dove?"

"Not all – Don't call me dove!"

The strand of hair dropped back to her face, he reached out his hand and tucked it behind her ear. Luna's eyes opened wide but she said nothing. He let his hand linger for a little while before dropping it. She opened her mouth as if to say something but closed it promptly. He gave her a small smile. "You were saying?"

Luna looked at him blankly. "Uh…I was…"

Blaise Zabini, master of distraction. "I believe you were explaining," he moved the book a little so he could see, "the effects of calming charms?"

Luna shook her head as if to clear it and glared at him again.

Blaise smiled. Even her abominable glare was pretty.

"Anyway, it's a simple charm that…" Her voice seemed to fade as soon as the word 'charm' slipped from her lips.

_Her lips_.

Heavens. He could spend hours watching her lovely little lips. They were a pale pink colour, plump and ready for the kissing. Just right now, she was biting on the edge of her bottom lip trying to explain something or the other. _Oh_, and when she gave him that _glare_ of hers, the corner --- left corner --- turned down firmly and the other fell flat and rigid. Oh, _heavens_ and when she _smiled_. Then her soft fleshy lips parted revealing large white teeth that were slightly crooked.

Only slightly.

As much as he liked watching her lips, he'd much rather have them pressed against his.

She slammed the book down on the wooden table. "Now I _know_ you aren't listening!"

"Why would you say that, dove?"

"I would say that – _and don't call me dove_!" she exclaimed angrily. "I say that because I just finished telling you Snape was doing the Polka with McGonagall in the Forbidden Forest."

Blaise shrugged. "I was humouring you, dove."

Luna frowned. "You are SO irritating! You could at least _try_ to learn!"

"I _am_ trying!"

"Liar." She accused standing up from her chair slamming her hands on the table.

Honestly what good was lying if she wouldn't even _try_ to believe him?

"Don't give up on him, Moon." A squeaky voice uttered dropping right in the middle of the table separating him and Luna.

"Just when I'd thought you'd left." Blaise groaned. "I knew it was too good to be true."

Som looked blankly at Blaise. As quick as he could Som scampered up Luna's arm so he was sitting on her shoulder. In a tone that was _just_ loud enough for him to hear, Som whispered into Luna's ear. "He really _does_ want to learn. It's just that, he's a little preoccupied with his obsession." Blaise was sure that it was of no coincidence that Som had managed to say that loud enough so he would be able to hear.

"What obsession?" Luna asked innocently taking Som off of her shoulder and placing him back on the table.

"None." Blaise muttered glaring at the Squich-Tevern with as much venom as he could muster.

Som started dancing on the table chanting "Liar, liar."

Luna sat down again. "He is, isn't he?" She said this with a tired sort of realization.

"I'm not lying!" This quickly became an event he would socialize with torture. Even Luna's presence couldn't make it enjoyable. After all, he _was_ being taught Charms, being annoyed by the overall presence of Som _and_ his 'obsession' was the topic of conversation. Not to mention the fact that his 'obsession' was standing two feet away with her wide blue eyes open in confusion. "Couldn't you have stayed wherever you've been for the past two hours?"

"I was exploring the castle, but I figured I should come see you or you'd start missing me."

"How can I miss you if you won't go away?"

"You're rude." Luna interrupted glaring at him.

This was just _so_ fucking perfect! He was bothered by the Squich-Tevern day in, day out and the first time he got a bout of peace Som decided to appear and make Luna think he was rude.

He was _not_ rude!

He was just fucking irritated.

xXxXx

Luna was starting to understand Blaise's rude comments and overall foul attitude toward Som.

Som was cute funny and really very sweet, but he never SHUT UP.

He'd pop up at all times and scare the living daylights out of her. And then as if it was a _completely_ natural thing he'd just start talking about _bananas_. Or at least that was his current topic. "Som, please, I have work to do. Go," Bother seemed rather rude at this point "see what Blaise is doing."

Som jumped happily on her bed. The dormitory was completely empty. Everyone seemed to be outside enjoying the beauty of the day. The golden sun, clear skies… Ordinarily she would be out there too but she had an essay to finish for transfiguration. If it were for any other class it wouldn't have bothered her and she would have been outside putting off the essay for later.

But since this was for Transfiguration…

She was FAILING.

Horribly.

Luna was counting on this essay to bring her up to a passing grade.

Unfortunately that was like counting on Som's 'Great Plan' to actually work.

Som smiled landing on top of her book. "Why do you want to know what he's doing?"

Luna groaned and buried her face in a pillow. "I don't."

"Liar." He muttered before continuing to jump around the room.

Som was like a three year-old hopped up on candy.

One thing was for sure she would NEVER give him candy.

xXxXx

"I don't understand, Luna." Ginny said confusion etched in her features. "You love Squich-Teverns."

"And I love him, but – but he's worse than you!" She exclaimed

Ginny stopped walking and gave her _the_ stare. The firm stare that clearly said Explain-That-To-Me-And-Make-It-Sound-Right-Or-I-May-Be-Obligated-To-Hurt-You.

"I mean," Luna sighed sitting down on the fountain ledge beside them. Luna ignored the stare completely. "He never STOPS talking. _You_ talk forever. He has you bested by – _hell_, he probably talks three times more than you do."

"Luna, you are _twisted_. You spend half _your_ life talking."

"I know! But," she added "I don't pop up and scare myself."

Ginny smiled. "That would be kinda hard now wouldn't it?"

"Oh! You know what I mean!"

Ginny shook her head smiling. "Look, I'll see you later. I have to go to practice. Apparently we're _so_ good that we _have_ to have extra practice." Ginny laughed rolling her eyes. "Later, Lovegood."

Luna stuck out her tongue. "Whatever, Weasley."

Luna watched Ginny walk away and came to a realization.

She needed food.

All this ranting about Som was taking away all her strength.

Nourishment was needed.

Luna headed to the kitchens thinking about Ginny. Or more accurately put, the circumstances and _creatures_ surrounding Ginny. She wondered what the red-head would say if she knew Som was planning to get her and Draco back together.

Something along the lines of 'like hell he will' crossed her mind.

But…

She hadn't talked with Ginny about Draco in forever but the last time they'd talked about it, Ginny eyes seemed to melt a little and gain a rather odd look to them. It almost looked like she was recalling the pain of tasting something rich and knowing it would only ever be a taste. And every time Ginny saw Draco her eyes got soft and hard at the same time. Defensive but curious. Scared but tempted. But maybe Luna was just imagining things. Surely eyes could not display that much emotion, especially as strongly as she believed them to show.

But the blonde always placed a magnificent importance on the displays of eyes. Eyes were the windows to the soul. Or at least _she_ thought so.

Brilliant.

The blonde groaned as she realised what she was going to do.

She was going to help Blaise get the two stubborn idiots back together the _right_ way.

She DID want them together. And if she had to endure Blaise's presence well…everything had a price. No one could ever say she wasn't a good friend.

Luna stopped when she reached the portrait.

It was really a rather dull painting when it came down to it. The background was a murky brown and had a red bowl holding fruit. An apple, a pear, a banana, an orange and some purple grapes. The only thing remotely interesting about it was the fact that it was a huge.

Luna frowned and examined the painting. According to Ginny she just had to tickle the pear. She tried to reach the green fruit. Luna frowned again. She couldn't reach. She stood on her toes and tried once more but only managed to reach the banana that was directly under the pear.

Dammit.

Why did she have to be so short?

Luna glared at the pear hoping that if she stared long enough it would somehow shrink and sink down.

It wasn't working.

Brilliant. She was cold, hungry, bitter and she couldn't reach the stupid pear. Stupid, no-good fruit. She would just have to wait for someone tall.

Luna dropped her bag on the floor and gave the pear one last good glare before lying down. She lay on the cold stone floor using her bag as a pillow wondering what moron decided to make a HUGE painting about fruit.

Two hours later, Luna was still lying on the floor and _still_ glaring at the stupid pear.

Stupid castle. Why did the stupid portraits have to be so high up? Had they no consideration for the short people that roamed Hogwarts?

Stupid. Everything was just plain stupid.

Luna stood up and started screaming at the painting. "I hate you, you stupid fruit! You are so STUPID! You're green _and_ what kind of a person paints a pear on top of a banana! I hate you! STUPID PEAR!" She was jumping up and down like a total maniac now.

"Luna, dove, I don't think the pear can hear you."

Luna turned quickly causing her legs to get tangled in the strap of her bag which led to her falling on the floor with a loud _PLOP_!

She stood up quickly and kicked her bag. "Stupid." She grumbled staring at it hoping she wasn't blushing as hard as she thought she was.

"Are you going to tell me why you were yelling at the pear?" He asked raising a perfect eyebrow.

"No." She said stubbornly

He shrugged picking up her bag. "Fine." He handed it to her.

Luna took it angrily and whirled around facing the portrait resuming her angry glares at the pear.

Sure he was tall, but there was _no_ way she would ask _him_ for help.

Not a chance.

Blaise chuckled from behind her. Luna could almost see his stupid smirk and pretty brown eyes laughing at her. Luna paled. Did she just think his eyes were _pretty_? She _must_ be starving if she was thinking things like that. What a hungry body did to the mind.

"Are you so Goddamn stubborn that you won't ask me for help?"

"_Help_?" She scoffed. "I don't need help."

"No, you're right; you're just the right height to reach the pear." He drawled sarcastically

"I am!" She exclaimed facing him

He raised an eyebrow. "Prove it."

"I – Uh – You – FINE!" Luna turned to face the portrait hence more.

Dammit.

She stood on her toes trying to reach the pear in vain. But just like before all she got to was the banana. Stupid no-good painting.

Then she felt two hands circle her waist lifting her up. Luna knew here eyes were wide enough at this point to look as if they could pop out of her skull. She was worried for a second that they _would_ pop out. She knew her face was a shade of red bright enough to make her an honorary Weasley. Unfortunately she was also keenly aware of the fact that the way his hands were gently gripping her waist sent shivers up and down her spine rending her body utterly frozen for what seemed like hours.

But was most likely just a few minutes.

Then there were the _summersaults_ her heart was doing. The damn thing was jumping so high it could almost get stuck in her throat. As soon as she gained control of her body she tickled the pear and the kitchens opened.

Blaise dropped her to the floor gently. Still behind her he leaned in a little and whispered in her ear. "I guess you were right. You _can_ reach the pear."

When Luna turned around he was gone.

Which was probably a good thing because she could not be held responsible for anything she did at that moment.

Unfortunately for her, the things she felt like doing involved their lips connecting…

Damn it all.

xXxXx

Luna entered her dormitory placing the plate holding her turkey sandwich on the desk. Luckily her roommates still seemed to be out. Probably discussing what charms to make their flat hair even straighter. Dunces. She really did not feel like putting up with them right now.

Luna groaned falling backwards on her bed thinking about the chills she'd felt with _his_ hands on _her_ waist for the umpteenth time.

This had to be a crime. How could he be allowed to do that? More importantly how could he send her body into a coma-like state by just touching her waist? His hands were just so firm gentle and kind. Dammit. Stupid Blaise.

_CRASH_!

Luna jolted up looking for what caused the noise. She looked in the direction of the noise. Luna rolled her eyes. It was just her roommate's hair potion thing.

No big deal.

It probably just fell.

Luna's stomach grumbled. She really _was_ hungry. Luna went to get her sandwich when she saw him.

Som was happily sitting on her desk eating _her_ sandwich. The sandwich she'd spent an eternity trying to get because the stupid portrait was too high. So she had to wait for an eternity for someone tall to do it for her. And that tall person just happened to be Blaise Zabini. "SOM!"

"What?" It muttered through a mouthful of bread.

"That – that – Oh forget it!"

Luna flopped back on the bed staring at the roof. She should've brought two sandwiches.

After Som had polished of her sandwich he landed on her stomach and started chattering away. "I have an idea, see." He licked his little paws. "I already told the other one but he was awfully rude."

Luna guessed the other one was Blaise.

"See, Dragon and Red belong together. So I am going to make sure that they _do_ get together."

Luna who'd closed her eyes at some point opened them and watched the Squich-Tevern very carefully.

"I'm going to give Red a simple love potion at dinner tomorrow. One that'll maker her like Dragon, and…" Som paused and looked around with a worried expression. He frowned and before Luna could say anything, _POP_! He disappeared.

Luna sat up.

Where did he go?

Just then the door opened and her roommates came in.

Oh.

xXxXx

The next day Som sneaked into the kitchens with a small black bag.

Som chuckled.

It was almost dinnertime.

He had done research on this and now he was perfectly sure on which glass was hers. There was no mistaking it. He stopped right in front of it with a dark smirk and glittering eyes. He opened the bag with his tiny little paws and pulled out a small vile containing a bright blue liquid. He poured the mixture into the glass and watched as it turned from the original orange colour of pumpkin juice to a glowing yellow colour.

Just one more thing.

He searched deeper into the bag a pulled out a single strand of black hair and carefully slipped it into the drink.

Som stirred it a little and then the juice resumed its ordinary orange colour.

Perfect. He smiled and skittered away making sure he had front row seats to the show he'd just created.

xXxXx

"Zabini!" Luna called running after him in the hallway.

Blaise turned. "What?"

Luna pulled at her hair irritably which she had left down today. It was completely tangled and kept swinging in her face as she hurried up to catch up to him. She brushed the hair aside. "He's going to put it in her drink"

Blaise raised an eyebrow "Put what in who's drink? And who's he?"

Luna rolled her eyes. "Som! Who else?"

"Oh! You mean the…"

"Yes!"

He shrugged. "So get rid of her drink."

Luna glared at him the marched off.

Blaise just stared at her. He had no idea what she wanted him to say. What was he supposed to say anyway? He watched her hips swing as she marched off to find Ginny Weasley. She was small but he liked small girls. He _especially_ liked the feel of her hips in his hands.

Speaking of which, that had been an interesting reaction.

She'd blushed. Hard.

For a girl who seemed to hate him she really didn't seem to mind that all to much.

Blaise smiled thinking that if it was up to him that wouldn't be the only thing he'd be touching that belonged to her. He walked into the great hall, never losing the smile.

"Dear Lord, Zabini, if you smile any harder I think you'll lose the ability to frown." Draco said appallingly

"We wouldn't want that now would we?"

Draco rolled his eyes.

Blaise sat down and glanced at the Gryffindor table. Luna had an appalled look on her face and was reaching across Ginny Weasley to get something. Just at that moment the Weaselette's glass crashed to the floor.

Blaise smirked. He watched them talk for awhile.

"Blaise? You've lost you bloody mind, you know that right?"

"I suspect so." Just then Luna took a sip from her juice and her blue eyes went impossibly wide. They had a dreamy look to them.

Blaise had read about almost every love potion in existence so he would know when and _if_ Som put his plan into action. And from the look of Luna's face he had a feeling that Som had mixed up Ginny's drink with Luna's.

Luna had accidentally taken the potion.

xXxXx

Ginny groaned. "Harry's murdering us at Quidditch practice. We were out there practicing for _forever_ yesterday. Honestly, you'd think Quidditch was the greatest thing since magic."

Luna was only half-listening praying that when she 'accidentally' spilled Ginny's drink the juice would not splash onto either of them, because then Ginny might 'accidentally' murder her for staining her skirt.

You never knew with Ginny.

"So, what's new with you?" Ginny asked reaching for a biscuit.

Luna's eyes widened. "Oh! Do you know what Som did yesterday!" She started eying Ginny's juice hoping Ginevra Weasley wasn't feeling thirsty just yet. "He ATE my sandwich."

Ginny stared at her in confusion. "This is bad how?"

Luna pouted. "It's bad because getting that sandwich was – it was," she reached for a biscuit making sure that her sleeved connected with Ginny's drink.

_CRASH_!

It fell on the floor.

Ginny squealed.

"Oh, darn. Sorry. Stupid sleeves."

Ginny straightened. "It's all right. I didn't get wet, the noise just startled me."

Luna let out a sigh of relief. Thanks heavens that was over.

"You were saying?" Ginny prompted

"Oh, yeah." She then proceeded to tell the story of how Blaise's hands on her hips had caused her to fall into complete disarray. "I mean, what right does that bastard have to do that?" Luna took a sip of her juice. "Honestly. AND…" Luna trailed off, her eyes gaining a dreamy look.

"_And_?"

Luna eyes trailed to the Slytherin table pausing at the area where a pale blonde haired boy was sitting. "And he's amazing don't you think?"

xXxXx

**A/N**: Well, that's officially the longest chapter ever. I'd love it if you reviewed. hint, hint


	12. That Pesky Thing Called a Conscience

**Chapter 12:** That Pesky Thing Called a Conscience

_- Ha! Me? Own Harry Potter? _Someone's_ been drinking… -_

11"**I love you, and because I love you, I would sooner have you hate me for telling you the truth than adore me for telling you lies." **

xXxXx

Last Chapter

xXxXx

"_Oh, yeah." She then proceeded to tell the story of how Blaise's hands on her hips had caused her to fall into complete disarray. "I mean, what right does that bastard have to do that?" Luna took a sip of her juice. "Honestly. AND…" Luna trailed off, her eyes gaining a dreamy look._

"_**And**?"_

_Luna eyes trailed to the Slytherin table pausing at the area where a pale blonde haired boy was sitting. "And he's amazing don't you think?"_

xXxXx

Blaise was halfway out of his seat when he noticed Draco watching him intently.

If he just walked off, Draco was sure to follow, and if he followed…

Blaise blanched as the image unwillingly arose in his mind of Luna Lovegood rolling around with Draco outside. Blaise almost wanted to throw up.

He watched the blonde Slytherin cautiously trying to decide the best course of action. He trusted his best friend and there was not doubt in his mind that Draco would not willingly do anything with Luna Lovegood regardless of the fact that _his_ blonde Ravenclaw was under a love potion that made her love Draco Malfoy, but that didn't stop the images of his Ravenclaw kissing Draco disappear.

So, the way he saw it, he only had two options.

Keep Draco far away from Luna. This, of course, was near impossible considering the fact that if Luna _was_ in love with him, she would do everything she could to be near him.

The other option was of course telling Draco about Som's "Great Plan" and what seemed to have gone wrong with it.

"Blaise? What is wrong with you? You look like a toddler whose toy was just stolen."

He sat down and glanced at Luna. Her eyes were impossibly soft with her small fingers wrapped around a strand of her messy blonde hair. Her entire face was smiling. She looked so happy – so lovely.

His gut wrenched. Blaise had never felt sicker. He turned facing Draco as he saw the red-head practically drag Luna out of the Great Hall. "Do you know how love potions work?"

Draco raised an eyebrow. "Of course I know, you twit."

Blaise mussed his hair. He took a deep breath and told Draco about Som's plan.

It was hard to gauge Draco's reaction. His face was completely blank. "You're telling me," he started, "that that furry brown thing that's been following us around ever since that detention, decided that the Weaselette and I _belong_ together."

"Yeah."

"So, then he, tries to recruit you."

"Yeah."

"And you agreed?" he asked tersely.

Blaise hesitated. This was a bad question. He _had_ agreed but not with _Som's_ plan. "Only to shut him up. I was never going to help him. Luna and I tried to—"

"So then, he plans to give the Weaselette a love potion that _somehow_ Lovegood ended up drinking?"

"Yeah."

"And now she's in love with me?"

"Well…"

Draco gritted his teeth. "The thing is annoying _and_ it's stupid."

Blaise couldn't agree more.

xXxXx

Ginny blinked. "Who?" The blonde was staring dreamily in the direction of the Slytherin table. Where only two Slytherins sat…

Luna placed her head in her hands watching her mystery person with a dreamy look that was even beyond dreamy for her. "Him." Luna said breathlessly, her eyelashes fluttering.

Ginny felt her throat tighten and the biscuit she'd been holding drop to the table. Heat rose to her face and Ginny was filled with a horrible sensation in her stomach. Luna could only be talking about one person after all. The blonde had just expressed her disdain for Blaise Zabini and the only other person in the direction Luna was staring was…Draco Malfoy.

Ginny was gong to be sick.

Luna sighed contentedly. "Don't you think he's gorgeous?" Her blue eyes shone merrily. "I mean he has those perfect brown eyes and—"

"Brown eyes?" Ginny interrupted. Draco didn't have brown eyes. Not last time she checked.

"Yes, all honey-coloured and pretty looking plus he has that black hair that looks SO soft."

Ginny blinked, the nauseating feeling receding quickly. _Who was the girl talking about?_

"He's perfect."

"Luna, who are we talking about?"

"Blaise." Luna softly muttered.

"_Zabini_?"

Luna nodded and began twirling her hair around her index finger.

"Luna, how many fingers am I holding up?" Ginny asked holding up four fingers.

"Four," she said. "Are you okay, Gin?"

"Are you?"

Luna smiled idiotically and watched Blaise with a pathetic lovey-dovey grin. "Perfectly."

Ginny eyed Luna peculiarly. She could not think of one single reason as to why Luna Lovegood was suddenly enamoured with Blaise Zabini. It made no particular sense. Well… it made no sense for Luna to _admit_ it.

Truth was Ginny suspected the blonde didn't hate Blaise Zabini as much as she claimed to. It seemed at times that she was actually afraid of the fact that she was smitten with him and Blaise _might_ return the feeling. Jeez, Luna'd just been ranting about how he had no right to lift her up and put his hands on her waist. But one didn't rant about these things like she did unless there was more than offence to it. Ginny truly believed that Luna fancied Blaise but she did not think that Luna had realised it yet. And even when she did, Luna would not be acting like _this_. Worry clouded her mind. But somewhere in the back of her mind the sneaky little devil of a voice was laughing at her. She had been worried – _actually worrie_d that Luna fancied Draco for a second.

And why?

_Because you fancy him_. The voice taunted her. Ginny ignored the voice and addressed Luna. Clearly something was wrong with her friend.

After many garbled protests from Luna and quite a few statements addressing Blaise's excellent physique, Ginny had dragged Luna out of the Great Hall.

"_Oww_." Luna complained, swatting at Ginny's arm. "You're pinching me."

Ginny let go of Luna's arms and eyed her friend. "What did you eat for breakfast?"

"What?" Luna asked. "Ginny, this has no point. I could be doing better things." Her voice softened. "Like talking to Blaise."

"YOU DO _NOT_ CALL HIM _BLAISE_."

"Of course I do."

"No. He is the _only_ person in Hogwarts – probably on earth, that you refer to on a last-name basis."

Luna shook her head smiling. "I would _never_ do that. He's so pretty looking."

Ginny felt like throwing something at the Ravenclaw. "No! _Jeez_, Luna, it's almost like you've taken a love potion!"

Ginny's eyes widened.

"How do you think Luna Zabini sounds?"

"Oh," Ginny was beginning to panic, "This is bad."

"Really? I don't think it sounds that bad."

Ginny grimaced. So far, today was brilliant. She missed breakfast, got detention from Snape, had juice spilled on her and what's worse, Luna seemed to have drank a potion that made her fall in love, and bumped into random people three times! Then Ginny somehow thought Luna was talking about Draco and that made her stomach squirm, which made the red-head think that something was wrong with her. Why would she feel _sick_ when she thought Luna was in love with Draco? The only possible feeling she _should_ be feeling is that of suspicion or-or surprise! It was amazingly pathetic. "Okay, Luna…" Ginny trailed off as she realised the blonde girl was nowhere to be seen. Luna Lovegood had just upped and disappeared! "Oh, this is just _great_!" She said to no one in particular. The red-head took of running in a mad haze toward the Ravenclaw dormitories looking for Luna. She was so frustrated and absorbed she didn't notice the people right in front of her until she slammed into them. Ginny swore as she was knocked onto the floor.

"Clumsy aren't you, Weaselette?"

Ginny looked up and saw Draco and Blaise standing side-by-side. She stood up as quickly as she could. "What did you do to Luna!" Ginny demanded forcefully staring at Blaise Zabini venomously.

Blaise held his hands up in surrender. "I didn't do it. And why would you assume _I_ did?"

"Like hell you didn't, you—"

"Weasley, shut up." Draco drawled.

Ginny jabbed Draco's chest with her finger. "You stay out of this you – you – you _prat_!" She wheeled facing Blaise.

He stepped back, clearly afraid of her. "Weasley, I swear I didn't. It was Som!"

Ginny fumed. "Who the HELL is Som!"

"Furry brown thing," Draco muttered examining his nails, "floppy ears. Small – Annoying."

Ginny blinked. "The thing Luna's practically always with?"

"Yes." They both answered.

"Why would HE do it you liars?" Ginny glared at Blaise. "Fix it. Make her normal."

"I don't know how!" Blaise exclaimed "Som did it!"

"I don't believe you!"

"It's the fucking truth!"

"Why would Som maker her fall in love with _you_?"

"BECAUSE HE THOUGHT—" Blaise paused. "_Me_?"

"_Him_?" Draco asked

"YES"

"She's in love with _me_?"

"What are you daft?" Ginny spat. "You did it; you should know."

Draco looked at Blaise. "I thought you said—"

"That was his plan. At least, that's what he told _us_." Blaise frowned. "Are you _sure_, Weasley?"

"Of course, I'm sure! All she's been talking about is your fucking hair and your bleeding eyes! She's in _love_ with you!" Ginny screamed. "And _what_ plan? And who's _us_!"

Blaise sighed. "Som's plan. His _Great Plan_…"

"HIS WHAT?" Ginny screamed hysterically. Suddenly this day seemed to be getting a lot worse than she had possibly imagined.

"Plan." Blaise sighed. "He figures you and Draco belong together. So he concocted a half-assed plan to bring you two together."

"BRING US TOGETHER?" Ginny screamed horror in her voice.

"Yes!" Blaise massaged his temple "And could you stop yelling, you're giving me a headache."

Ginny was staring at him in anger and horror. "That little TWIT! How could he—"

"Weasley," Draco interrupted, "shut up."

Ginny's eyes narrowed. "I can do whatever the hell I please, Draco Malfoy. And if you—"

"Weasley," Blaise said slowly looking around for the first time, "where's Luna."

The red-head cast her eyes downward. "Right, see, I was talking to her about how she was being impossibly insane and what-not and..."

"And?" Draco prodded.

"I maybe, sort-of, kind of, lost her."

"You what?" Blaise nearly yelled. Draco stared at Blaise in wonder. His eyes wide. Blaise could understand why Draco would do that. This was the first time Blaise had ever yelled in anger in Draco's presence. Draco cocked his head and an almost smile appeared on his usually impassive face. Blaise grimaced and faced the Weaselette once more.

Ginny did not seem to notice the non-verbal exchange between the Slytherins. "One minute she was talking about your 'fabulous eyes' and then the next she's gone!"

Blaise groaned and mussed his hair. "Brilliant. I'm going to kill Som." He murmured under his breath. "Okay, I'll find Luna you—"

"No way." Ginny said.

Blaise raised an eyebrow. "And why not?"

"Because she's _in love_ with you, and frankly I don't trust you one bit, Zabini."

"With good reason," Draco muttered.

Blaise glared at Draco. "Fine." He said. "I'll go find Som, you two find Luna."

"With him? I'm not—"

"Would you rather _I_ find Luna?"

Ginny looked as if ready to hit someone. "I would rather not be with _him_."

Blaise smirked malevolently. "You and I both."

"I am not—" Ginny started but Blaise was already gone. "Dammit!" She swore. What was it with people just disappearing on her today?

xXxXx

Som wanted to laugh. The whole thing was working splendidly. The Dragon and Red were standing across from each other just left behind by Blaise, who'd stormed off declaring he would find Som. Som chuckled. No one could find him unless he decreed so.

Ginny shifted, tired of glaring at Draco – it was pointless. "We should go find Luna." _Why_ did Blaise decide _they_ had to look for Luna?

Oh, right. Because if Luna found Blaise it wouldn't be under the best circumstances. Goodness knows what _Luna Lovegood_ would do under a love potion.

Draco regarded her with his cold eyes. "I doubt we'll be able to – that one's nutters."

Ginny stood there trying to decide if throttling him would be too horrible of a death. "So you won't help?" She seethed.

Draco said nothing.

"Well!"

"Well, what?"

"Are you going to help me find Luna?

He raised an eyebrow. "I doubt you could find her. She's crazy and, Weasley, you aren't particularly good at anything, I'm guessing that it stands the same for finding people."

Ginny had to restrain herself from hurting the blonde git. She took a few deep breaths, but the immense feeling of potent irritation would not fade.

"Weaselette, you look like a balloon: Red and ready to explode."

"Malfoy," Ginny muttered through gritted teeth, "I'm trying to stop myself from strangling you, if I were you, I'd shut up."

"You couldn't strangle me if you tried. Besides," he said airily taking a step closer to her, "a little Weasel like you doesn't like to break the rules and as far as I know killing is definitely illegal."

Ginny gnashed her teeth together. Soon they'd be nothing but dust. "Some people are alive only because it's illegal to kill them. But I'm sure I could find somebody who doesn't care about unlawful things to do it for me."

Draco smiled.

"Fine! If you won't help me find—"

"Weasley you can't find a man, let alone _anything_ or _anyone_ else."

"Are you going to help me find Luna or not?"

"Look how quickly you change the subject when I touch a nerve."

Ginny tensed. "Forget it! Just–" she threw her hands in the air. "I'm going to kill Som!"

Draco couldn't help but agree. What had that creature been _thinking_? He honestly thought he could try to trick them into being together? They'd moved past that – there was nothing between him and the Weaselette anymore.

Or at least that the way it should stay.

Draco had no doubt in his mind this was part of Som's plan. Draco hadn't liked the idiot critter from the beginning. The creature seemed far more intelligent than Blaise gave him credit for. It was likely this was the entirety of his plan. Not only to try and trick him and the Weaselette into being together but into aiding Blaise with his futile quest in winning Luna over.

And it was a stupid plan.

Ginny huffed giving him one last glare then turned on her heel and stormed off.

Draco watched her walk away his eyes unintentionally straying to her hips. He flicked his eyes away quickly as a thought struck him.

Blaise had _stormed_ off.

_Blaise Zabini_ had stormed off.

It was so ridiculous. In all his years knowing Blaise, not once had he been able to piss him off like that – _not once_. Frankly, Draco had never seen Blaise angry and had most certainly never seen Blaise lose his calm, eloquent and _happy_ demeanour. It used to irritate him on end that he could be so together and jovial. Draco could never manage to be around someone who was constantly smiling.

Not smirking but _smiling_ for Goodness's sakes.

Of course, now Blaise was his best friend for some unfathomable reason. Or if he were to get right down to it, Blaise was likely his _only_ friend.

He was the only person Draco actually talked to. And Blaise was hopelessly smitten with the crazy Ravenclaw. If he did not help the Weaselette look for her, Blaise was liable to kill him.

And he did not want to suffer a Blaise-induced death.

Plus he couldn't lie to him, so pretending he helped when he didn't wouldn't work. Blaise was the only person who could see through his lies. And even if Draco somehow managed to slip it past Blaise he would still find out on the account that the Weaselette would rat on him.

Damn. "Weaselette!"

Ginny tensed. _Oh,_ how that idiot got on her nerves. Sometimes it wasn't even logical. He didn't even have to _say_ anything. Just one bloody movement and she wanted to strangle him. Ginny wanted to contribute her hatred to the fact that he was a git, but that sneaky part of her brain Ginny was starting to hate reminded her all the time that it had a lot more to do with his amazing kisses and the fact that she wasn't getting them anymore. "What!"

Draco eyed her with cold indifference. "Where's Luna usually at?

Ginny's eyes narrowed. "I thought you didn't care about Luna."

"I don't." He said simply. "I care about Blaise killing me."

Ginny's glare didn't falter. "Blaise killing you?"

"He's a temperamental git."

"Remind you of someone?"

"You."

Ginny huffed. "Prat."

"Weasel."

"Ferret."

"Twit."

"Over-zealous prick."

"Short-tempered sleaze."

"I am NOT a sleaze!"

"So you are short tempered?"

"You're impossible!"

"And you're annoying, what's new?"

Ginny let out a sigh of frustration. "She hangs out in the library sometimes."

Draco gave her a quizzical look.

"Luna."

"I know that, but the _library_? No wonder she's a Ravenclaw."

"Hermione hangs out in the library and she's not in Ravenclaw."

"Yes, but that one's perpetually dull and insane."

"Aren't insane people supposed to be interesting?" Ginny prodded bitterly.

"There are different kinds of insane."

"There's only one." She protested.

"You're insane."

"So I'm dull?" Ginny asked a frown on her face.

Draco smiled slightly. She looked so pretty when she frowned. Her lips twisted and her eyes shined a little. "No, you're annoying. See," Draco explained impassively, dismissing his earlier thoughts of her being pretty from his mind, "different kinds of crazy."

"And what kind of crazy are you?"

"The kind you don't need to know."

Some watched the pair exchange words with a smile. This was the most words they'd spoken to each other since the first time he saw them.

Ginny rolled her eyes. "Right."

Draco raised an eyebrow but said nothing.

"Quit."

"What?"

"That!" It struck Ginny's every nerve when he did that. Raised _one_ eyebrow. There was a point when she'd sat in front of the mirror trying to learn how do that; all she got was the mirror asking if she was having a stroke.

"Weasley, as much as you'd like to think so, I can't read your mind."

"Quit raising your eyebrow!"

A slow smirk spread across his features. "It's a habit. Funny that one action irritates you so."

"It's not the action; it's _you_ that irritates me."

"If you say so."

Ginny glared. "You're so full of yourself, you pompous ass. All that gel has gone to your head."

"Staring at my hair, Weasley?"

"Only because it's so ugly."

Draco smirked. "Whatever you need to tell yourself."

Som grinned cheekily. Oh, this was a lovely plan.

xXxXx

Blaise was unbelievably torn. For the first time in his life, he could not stop and breathe. His mind was rushing with new thoughts constantly in and out. It was as if the words were flying into his brain in a whirlwind so quick that he couldn't even decipher the words, let alone _feel_ the emotion they brought. Truth be told, he was astonished he had not bumped into something yet. It was driving him mad. The only thing he could think of right now was that he _needed_ to find Som before Luna found him, because if Luna found him, Blaise would do something that he _knew_ in the pit of his heart he would regret.

Blaise groaned. This was utterly pathetic. And to make it all worse, none of this was the result of _his_ actions. It was all the Squich-Tevern's fault! All the times he'd threatened to kill or injure the Squich-Tevern he'd hadn't really considered the option. It was just something he said. Now though…Killing the critter seemed mighty appealing.

Blaise staggered back and fell on the floor as something small collided with him. Soft, silky, golden strands brushed his face obstructing his view from the person. He swore colourfully but the small thing only giggled. Blaise was about to yell at the person when the golden hair shifted and he saw the person's eyes.

Blue.

They were large crystal-like round dishes and were the same colour blue as the crystalline pond by his house. She giggled again shifting the hair and he saw her face more clearly. Her nose was slightly crooked and she was pale. Her bright eyes seemed a little duller than he was used to but there was no denying it was her. It could only be Luna. "Hi, Blaise." She giggled.

Blaise swallowed. Her tiny pink lips were curved into a bright smile, one she'd never directed at him before, and to make matters worse she was _on top_ of him. He could feel every part of her body touching his and he was itching to make sure that her lips were subjected to that particular torture as well. After all, they were so perfect and so close. **No**. Blaise inwardly groaned. She was _charmed_. "Luna, can you please get off of me?" He managed to squeak out despite his body's protests to pull her closer.

She sat up so that she was straddling him. "Why?"

He said the first thing that came to mind. "The floor's uncomfortable."

She smiled that beautiful smile. "Okay." Luna stood up and clasped her hands behind her back the bright smile never leaving her face.

Blaise picked himself up and cursed his misfortune. Why on earth couldn't the two idiots find her first? It was hard enough knowing she was in love with him and he couldn't do anything about it; it was far worse to see her inches away and knowing he couldn't have her. He glanced at her and nearly fell on the floor again. Her hair was neatly combed. It was perfectly straight with no tangles and had a filigree pin on one side. She was wearing make-up and the butterbeer cork necklace was missing. It was honestly the strangest thing he'd ever seen and the last he ever thought he'd see on her. Her hair was neatly brushed. It looked like everybody else's. She looked so…_normal_. For some reason that bothered him a lot. "Are you okay, Luna?"

She fiddled with the sleeve of her robe and looked at him her eyes wide and lovely a smile in them too. "Of course, silly, why wouldn't I be?"

His eyes trailed to her fingernails. They were clean and devoid of any polish. They always had some colour on them. He wondered fleetingly when she got the time to make all these changes. She hadn't looked like this in the morning.

She got close to him began playing with his hair. "You have really soft hair."

Blaise swallowed again and pushed her hand away gently. "Luna," he began.

"You have soft hands too." She commented dreamily as she ran her small slender fingers across the back of his hand making his earlier thought disappear. She smiled again. Luna moved closer and closer, her tiny lips looking all the more appealing. _Oh, God, and the way they curved. _Blaise was lost in a dream; he leaned down his lips about to touch hers when the smell of that sickly flower perfume that practically every girl wore reached him. He wrinkled his nose and remembered she was under a spell. Blaise quickly pulled away. "Come on, Luna," he sighed, deep regret settling inside of him. His body was still screaming but he couldn't do it. He felt _guilty_. What kind of Slytherin was he if he wasn't willing to take advantage of another human being? If he wasn't already disgusted by the thought of almost kissing a charmed girl he'd feel disgusted in himself. "We should go find Ginny."

"Why?" She asked following after him.

"Let's just say I finally seem to have acquired a conscience."

She smiled. "Okay."

About half and hour later he was still looking for Ginny and Draco. He'd been doing a really good job of controlling his animalistic urges for a few minutes now, Blaise considered a personal milestone.

"You want to know something?"

"No." He muttered desperately hoping she wouldn't say anything. He was doing so well, it would only be unfair to have gone this far and give in anyway.

"Yesterday, when you grabbed me around my waist and whispered in my ear, I nearly fainted. You're so handsome." She smiled. "You make me want to do things for you."

Blaise was feeling particularly dizzy. He closed his eyes and swore that Som would be murdered if he had anything to say about it. Unfortunately he had not expected Luna to do anything. While his eyes were closed he felt lips press against his. For that moment Blaise forgot everything except that her lips were against his. He snaked a hand around her waist and pulled her closer. Her hands moved tentatively almost hesitantly to rest on his shoulder and her small body pressed against his. She bit his bottom lip lightly and Blaise nearly fell from shock again. He swept his tongue across her teeth and took what he'd been wanting from her for so long. Then that's when the truth hit him. _She was charmed_. He jerked away quickly. "SHIT!" Her doe-blue eyes were soft and hazy and dulled. She looked confused and maybe just a little hurt.  
He didn't dwell on it. He was far to busy with the horrible guilt consuming him. What person on earth would actually pride themselves on having a conscience? He often heard Gryffindors use that as an insult to Slytherins. '_At least I have a conscience_.' A conscience was _killing_ him right now. It was absolutely murdering him. He did not like to feel guilty for something. Especially something like _this_. There was a very pretty girl kissing him saying that he made her want to do things and he was so absorbed feeling guilty. He was disgusted in himself. Blaise was normally very reasonable. He didn't start tantrums when teachers gave him unfair punishments. He didn't go off insulting and taunting innocent and not-so-innocent 1st years when he needed to vent, and he didn't get revenge when people pissed him off, he just smirked and brushed it off leaving an empty threat in his wake. Never had he literally felt this overwhelming compulsion engulf him, and he could not understand why this emotion was plaguing him NOW. He wanted to hit something desperately. Never had his emotions gotten this far astray. He grabbed her wrist and dragged her behind him.

It was official. Som was going to die.

xXxXx

He was having far more trouble than he'd imagined finding Ginny. He had no idea where she and Draco had gone off to search for Luna, but he wanted to find them NOW. Blaise was going through absolute and utter hell. His brain kept fighting with his body and Luna Lovegood kept saying things that did not make the situation any easier to handle. Not only was it infuriating, it was driving him to near insanity points of action. He was tempted to just run off screaming leaving Luna standing there. He had gotten so desperate to find either Ginny or Draco that he'd begun checking random classrooms, a few closets even, just in case the two chose this moment to quit fighting whatever fight they were fighting. Blaise angrily pushed open another classroom door with the blonde Ravenclaw behind him. He'd given up on pulling her behind him, holding her hand only excelled the feelings of annoyance and frustration.

"Hello." A squeaky voice said happily as he walked into the room.

Blaise froze when he heard the voice. He didn't move for a couple minutes, just closed his eyes and counted to ten. The reason being, that only Som had that voice and he was terribly close to wanting to strangle the critter at this point. And strangling was a terribly inhumane process. Plus, if he strangled him _now_ he wouldn't figure out how to fix the problem that was driving him insane. Best wait until he figured out how to turn her normal again. Normal for her anyway. Then he would devise proper ways to eliminate the Squich-Tevern.

"You know," Som began, "I've been looking for you so I—"

"Finish that sentence and I won't be able to restrain myself." Blaise managed to say. He turned and found Luna humming happily behind him, smiling that gooey smile. He surveyed the room and found a door that probably led to an office. Blaise opened the door; yep, it was an office. He grabbed Luna's hand and led her inside the room. Carefully closing the door he faced the Squich-Tevern trying to push down his murderous feelings. "Fix. It." He breathed.

Som looked at him innocently. "Fix what?"

He could feel his left eye twitching. "You gave Luna a love potion." He explained more calmly than he felt. "Fix it."

"_Oh_, you mean _that_. Yeah, my mistake, I meant to give it to Red."

"YOU MEANT TO GIVE GINNY A LOVE POTION THAT WOULD MAKE HER FALL IN LOVE WITH _ME_?" He screamed losing the calm demeanour he'd tried so hard to preserve. "I'M NOT STUPID! WHAT THE HELL WERE YOU REALLY TRYING TO DO?"

Som shrugged nonchalantly as if Blaise hadn't just finished yelling at him. "I meant to give her one that would make her fall in love with Dragon. I must have gotten your hair instead of his."

"WRONG HAIR? HE'S _BLONDE_! I HAVE _BLACK_ HAIR; HOW COULD YOU MISTAKE THE TWO?"

Som stared at his feet sheepishly. "I'm colour-blind."

Blaise's eye was twitching like mad. He closed both eyes and counted to ten. With his eyes still closed he muttered. "You're colour—" He snapped. Opening his eyes and staring at the Squich-Tevern he realised he didn't give a damn. "You know what? I don't fucking care, just FIX IT."

"I thought you liked Moon. Wouldn't this make you happy?"

"IT'S NOT REAL! SHE'S ENCHANTED!"

"As far as she knows it's real." Som said voicing the thoughts he knew that any decent Slytherin would be having. Unfortunately he had a conscience. God, knows, when that idiot bugger decided to move into his brain. Or who knows? Maybe his conscience was there all along and it barely decided to start working.

"Som," Blaise growled. "I don't want her to want me because of magic. Because if that's the case then it doesn't mean anything. And I like her enough for me to want it to mean something." He took a deep breath and muttered through gritted teeth. "She's the first girl I _care_ about; this is taking advantage of her. I won't do that."

Som's eyes brightened and for a moment, if you had bothered to look—which Blaise hadn't — the Squich-Tevern looked proud and as if a great realisation had struck him. Then it was gone just as quick as it came replacing it with a confused look. "I don't understand humans."

"Som, I'm going to tell you one last time—"

"I know, I know, fix it." Som rolled his eyes, then frowned looking thoughtful. "Did you kiss her?"

"Did I WHAT?"

"Did you kiss her?"

"HOW IS THAT IMPORTANT?"

"I need to—oh, never mind. If you didn't kiss her, you have give her an awareness potion and say 'twiddlesticks' when she's done drinking it."

"Twiddlesticks?"

"And if you did kiss her, you need to…" Som let the sentence hang in the air.

"To?" He muttered bitterly.

"So you _did_ kiss her."

"Som!"

He shrugged. "If you did kiss her it's the same thing. I just wanted to know."

Blaise gritted his teeth and contemplated the wisdom of strangling the Squich-Tevern now. On the one hand, he knew the cure so…But on the other hand he could just as easily be lying. Best wait until he saw she was back to normal.

xXxXx

Blaise was on his way to get an awareness potion when he heard the two bickering voices he'd spent an agonizing amount of time looking for.

"God, would you set your deflated ego aside for five seconds!" Ginny yelled her face red.

"Would you stop yelling for five?" Draco sneered.

"You are so —"

"Here," Blaise spat throwing the tiny, doe-eyed, Ravenclaw in-between the arguing pair. One could swear they were a couple having a slight tiff. It seemed as if any second now they would quit arguing and start snogging each other senseless. "I suppose, this is why neither of you have made any progress in finding her? You haven't moved from where I left you last." Draco opened his mouth to protest but Blaise cut him off. "Forget it, Draco. It doesn't matter anymore." Draco shrugged.

"My, my," Ginny said bitterly, "never thought I'd see the day when you'd be silenced."

"Why don't you shut up, Weasley." Blaise spat.

Ginny's eyes narrowed. "I will not —"

Luna giggled. "Isn't Blaise handsome?"

Ginny turned to face her friend "Luna…." Then it was as if the Weaselette first took in her friend's appearance. Luna's clothes were rumpled and her hair was dishevelled probably due to his hands creeping up there during the kiss. Blaise felt his stomach turn, he had _kissed_ her.

All this guilt was going to kill him. "Luna," Ginny slowly muttered her eyes suspicious, "where were you?"

She giggled. "With Blaise."

Ginny wheeled and faced Blaise venom in her eyes. She opened her mouth, most likely to say something foul but Draco interrupted her. "Shut up, Weasley."

"I didn't say anything."

"Stay that way."

Ginny glared at the both of them for a good ten minutes until Luna said something about his 'lovely' eyes.

"Watch her while I get an awareness potion." Blaise said bitterly feeling sick to his stomach.

"Why do you need an awareness potion?" The red-head asked in a cold tone.

"So I can remove the effects of the love potion. According to Som, I need to give her an awareness potion and then say 'twiddlesticks'."

"Twiddlesticks?" She asked. Blaise said nothing. "Fine." The red-head spat. "Take the self-loving blonde prat with you."

Blaise groaned. This was a horrible day.

A while later, he was leaning against the wall as the Weaselette examined the red vial with absolute scrutiny. "Weasley, do calmly stop staring at the potion as if it were something poisoned. I don't want to kill her and I don't want to prolong her state. I want her back to normal just as you do."

The red-head frowned. "Fine." She faced Luna who was happily humming staring at Blaise with the same love-struck gaze. "Luna, drink this."

Luna stared at it. "Why?"

"It's good for you." Ginny urged her.

Luna shook her head. "I don't want to."

"Luna," Ginny muttered exasperatedly. "Would you _please_ drink it?"

"No."

"Stubborn that one," Draco grumbled. "Should've been a Gryffindor."

Ginny whirled. "What does _that_ mean?"

"Shut up, both of you." Blaise spat. He took the vial from Ginny bitterly and held it out to Luna. "Drink it, will you?" He asked tenderly.

Luna smiled that gut-wrenching charmed smile that had been slowly killing him all day long. "Okay."

As soon as she finished drinking it all three blurted out "Twidllesticks."

They watched her carefully. It was Draco who broke the silence first. "Well, is she normal?"

"Luna," Ginny said gently, "what do you think of Blaise's eyes?"

"They remind me of honey, they are so pretty and…" Her eyes grew wide and it seemed to Blaise as if they were getting brighter, more…blue. "Um…His eyes…? His eyes…" She straightened. "They're brown." Then the beautiful blue orbs of her narrowed. "Ginny," she began her blue eyes glaring at Blaise in a patronizing way. "Tell me, that what I think just happened didn't happen. Tell me, that I did not spend the day complimenting Zabini."

"Well you see…" Ginny explained watching the floor with utmost interest

She reached up to where her butterbeer cork necklace usually was. When Luna found that the necklace was missing she frowned. "What…?" Then her blue eyes widened to cataclysmic proportions. "Dammit." A bright blush crept onto her face.

"Well," Draco drawled, "now that Lovegood is back to normal, if not just a little insane, we'll be going now. You can explain everything to her, Weasley." He turned to leave.

"No you don't, Malfoy." Luna spat yanking him back. "I want to hear the perspective truth from Ginny, you and," she paused her lips forming into the most disgusted look he'd ever seen crossed her features. "Zabini."

xXxXx

All in all, she'd taken things better than he thought she would. Had he been in her position, he would have wanted to kill Som and himself. She'd just accepted every single thing with a calm posture a few curse words and some very hazardous insults. Nothing more and nothing less. He hadn't lied to her about the kiss. He wasn't sure if he hadn't lied because he was afraid she already knew and lying to her would only make if worse or if he'd told her the truth because that blasted conscience had been eating up at him.

Blaise groaned, lying on his bed, he mulled over the possible ways to get rid of a conscience. He was getting nothing. It seemed he was stuck with that just as he was stuck with Som. Speaking of Som…The critter would have some serious hell to pay.

xXxXx

**A/N:** Okay, get ready for my EXTREMLEY good excuse as to why I didn't update any sooner. Give me a few seconds…Okay, I'm ready.

See, I haven't updated in like ever, because the world's most horrible thing happened. I was kidnapped by a delusional elf who kept calling me Fraedelle. I was taken into this underground city where they had this huge dragon that reminded me of the Norbert. For some unearthly reason the dragon started talking to me and suddenly I was on its' back and he was flying somewhere. Next thing I know, I'm a really dark part of this underground world where I come across a tribe of telepathic ghosts. Naturally the dragon is long gone since it's terrified of ghosts. I managed to slip out but I was stranded in a different world. Then I came across a crazy princess that has Luna's personality by the name Yamaie. She helped me out of the underground city and together we made it back home fighting all these strange creatures. In fact she's right here next to me and hasn't left me alone since we came back. I think she really likes this world. Either that or she doesn't want to be a princess. Either way, she'll vouch for me, right Yamaie?

Let it never be said I can't come up with crazy excuses. Okay but really. It's my fault, nobody else's. To make up for it I'll let you my lovely reviews decide what I should do with this fic. I have 2 alternate endings that I haven't really decided on, but should soon. Do you want this fic to just be mindless fluff, or for it to actually have an, I guess I could say action-y, plot to it? Whatever you choose is what I will continue this fic as.

xXxXx

**A/N**: Well, that's officially the longest chapter ever. I'd love it if you reviewed. hint, hint


	13. Closet Cases

**Chapter 13:** Closet Cases

_- I don't own Harry Potter, unfortunately, it seems I never will. -_

"**Love works in miracles every day: such as weakening the strong, and stretching the weak; making fools of the wise, and wise men of fools; favouring the passions, destroying reason, and in a word, turning everything topsy-turvy."**

**----Marguerite De Valois**

**A/N:** The action-y plot won out, which is good because I think I was kind of leaning toward it anyway.

* * *

Luna should've been angrier than she was. 

She knew that what Som did should have pissed her off completely. He put her under a love potion for goodness' sakes! But she just couldn't bring herself to hate the Squich-Tevern. He was like a three-year old kid who did whatever he wanted to on the hopes that he was doing the right thing. Som's intentions _were_ good after all. But that wasn't the main reason that she wasn't very angry at the Squich-Tevern.

After Luna's initial memory lapse and everyone had filled her in, scenes of what had happened to her under the love potion kept coming back to her. And she hated everything she'd done. She hated that she'd drunk the potion making her fall in love. She hated that after drinking the potion she'd gone to her dormitory and changed to look like almost every other girl in the school looked like. She hated that she'd said _things_ to Blaise Zabini. But the thing she hated most of all --- the thing that was responsible for her _not_ wanting to kill the Squich-Tevern, was that, she'd _liked_ the kiss. It seemed every time she sat down to think, she remembered kissing him. And then butterflies started whirling around her stomach and she would actually feel warm and fuzzy at the memory. All that almost made Luna Lovegood think that she was sick. Why would she feel like that when she remembered she'd kissed Blaise Zabini? She shouldn't. Clearly something was wrong. Something had to be wrong, because if it turned out that Luna actually, really, honestly liked the kiss and wanted another, it meant she liked him. And she couldn't like him. What kind of person would she be if she liked Blaise Zabini of all people? She really couldn't fancy him right?

Of course, she didn't fancy him. Luna reasoned. She was Luna Lovegood and she did not like him in any way shape or form. And yet…

Luna shook her head and focused on the matter at hand. She was supposed to be writing a transfiguration essay. She had, due to her poor performance in the class, decided to do the essay right and finish it early, not start on it the day before it was due like Luna was prone to do. She had tried starting it on multiple occasions, but of course, Luna was having no luck with even _beginning_ the essay. A blank sheet was before her, mocking her. Luna scowled at the parchment. She had to get serious. She did not want to fail the class. Luna almost fell out of her chair when something brown and furry dropped onto the parchment before her.

"Hi, Moon," Som said.

"What are you doing?" She asked, still not used to the way he randomly popped out of nowhere.

"I was thinking, and then I got bored, so I decided to talk to you."

Luna blinked. "Okay."

"Have you ever tried thinking upside down for three hours? It's very tiring and annoying, I was so preoccupied with my head exploding that I didn't get any thinking done."

"Then why do you think upside down?"

"All my best ideas come to me under pressure."

"Ah," Luna said. She looked again at the paper and wondered minutely how much work she would get done with the Squich-Tevern in her room. Som was talking about cake when Luna decided if she really was planning to finish the essay sometime soon she would have to ditch Som.

"You see," Som continued, "1I've never understood why people say 'You can't have your cake and eat it too.' Why would someone get cake if they can't eat it?"

Luna gathered up all her stuff and snuck out of the room as quietly as she could hopin Som wouldn't notice.

xXxXx

Blaise swore as someone knocked into him and they both fell in a tangle on the cold floor.

"Shit. _Damn_. Sorry, so – _oh damn_!" The person tried to get up but slammed back on top of him. "Sorry, I – _Aw_, its just you."

Blaise looked up at the person who'd so clumsily slammed into him. Luna. It could only be her. It seemed that she was the only person who ever collided with him. Her blonde hair was in complete disarray – tangled as usual – splaying all over her pale face. She scrambled off of him incredibly quickly. Blaise followed suit and stood before her. Her bag was swinging haphazardly from her wrist, obviously about to fall to the floor and she was completely out of breath. She looked around quickly, darting her head to and fro. "Dammit," she breathed. Luna darted past him and opened the door behind him.

"Luna, what—"

She shoved him in the room and slipped in behind him. "Shh!" She exclaimed, shutting the door and pressing her ear against it, listening for something.

"Luna, dove, are—"

Quicker than he would've thought possible, Luna was in front of him clasping her hand over his mouth. "_Shh_." She whispered frantically staring at the door.

She didn't need to worry about him saying anything at the moment. Luna Lovegood was standing on her toes with her hand over his mouth. Most importantly her small flush body was pressed against his very invitingly. Not to mention the fact that she looked absolutely perfect right now. Not that Blaise believed she had meant to do any of that intentionally, she would probably go out of her way to assure that that wasn't happening if she knew.

"Good," she breathed softly and raggedly. "I think he's gone."

"mrmogph"

Luna looked at him, "What?"

He lifted his hand and placed it over hers, which was currently still over his mouth. He noticed with slight satisfaction the way her eyes widened when he did so. He pulled her hand down slowly off his mouth. He never released her hand from his grip. "Who's gone?"

Luna stood stock still for a few minutes, and then wrenched her hand from his grip. She took a few steps back still eyeing him with that wide-eyed expression. "Som."

Blaise raised an eyebrow and Luna faced the door again. He had the faint impression she was blushing. "I thought you said you didn't completely hate him."

Luna had of course mentioned this to Ginny, Draco and himself quite a few times, but she always failed to explain _why_ she wasn't angry at the Squich-Tevern. No one really pestered her about it except for Ginny, but the red-head never did seem to get any answers out of his dove. "I don't hate him. It's just, I have an essay to finish and he won't stop talking to me."

"Really?"

"Ordinarily, I wouldn't care," She pressed her ear to the door, "but it's Transfiguration."

"Don't you hate Transfiguration?"

"I'm trying to do this essay right. I really need to pass."

"Ah," he paused. "Luna, you did know that Som just appears places right?"

"Of course I do, he scares me half to death all the time."

"Then…?"

"I figured he wouldn't look in a closet. I was planning to go to the library as soon as I lost him."

It was a small dark room that he hadn't realised was a closet until she'd pointed it out. "_Huh_, we're in a closet."

Luna tried to open the door. She struggled with the knob. "Stupid door, why won't you open?"

Blaise pulled out his wand, "_Alohamora_."

Luna pulled at the knob. "It still won't open!"

Blaise pushed her aside gently and tried to open it. After a few pulls, tugs, and charms he came to a conclusion. "We're locked in here."

"Great!" Luna exclaimed, throwing her hands in the air. "I escape Som, but now I'm stuck with you!"

He leaned against the wall. "And I'm bad why, dove?"

Luna sat on the floor cross-legged. "I'm not _dove_." Blaise only shrugged. Luna harrumphed and pulled out a blank sheet of paper from her bag, "Just don't talk to me, I need to finish this essay."

He gave a mock salute. "Will do." Twenty minutes later, Blaise was getting annoyed. There had to be about thirty crumpled papers surrounding him. Apparently Luna was having no progress with the essay even though nobody was talking to her. Blaise blinked as yet another crumpled paper found its way in his direction. "For goodness' sakes, Luna!"

"What?" she exclaimed, "Can't you see I'm busy?"

"I can see that you are wasting more paper than I thought was humanly possible on _one_ essay."

"Well, if you would stop bothering me, maybe I could—"

"Okay, shut up, that's getting annoying." Sitting down next to her, Blaise snatched the stack of parchment and the quill from her hand. "Here's what we do. I am going to help you—"

"I don't need help," Luna protested.

"Because," he continued, "all this paper is getting on my nerves and I've nothing better to do at the moment. Okay?"

Luna pouted, "Fine."

He rolled his eyes. "Good. What's this essay about then?"

"A topic of my choice."

"So," Blaise said slowly, "you're having trouble writing an essay on whatever you want?"

"It has to be related to Transfiguration!" She protested. "Do you know how hard that is? I can't talk about Doyvetters or – or anything even remotely interesting!"

"Dove, you're unbelievable."

"I am—"

"Yes, yes, I know. You're not called dove. Okay, is there _anything_ you like about Transfiguration?"

xXxXx

Som was jubilant; it seemed that things were finally starting to progress in his plans. So maybe what he'd done wasn't precisely intelligent. Ever since the "potion incident" as he had taken to calling it, no one, with the exception of Luna Lovegood talked to him. Well, that was undoubtedly unfair: Blaise would probably talk to him, but the conversation would consist of death threats and the Slytherin following up on the mentioned death threats. And that was precisely the conversation Som did NOT want to have. If Som were anyone – or anything else, he'd think twice about meddling in the affairs of the four again, but Som had never been reasonable, even when he wasn't a Squich-Tevern. So he just couldn't help himself when he saw Blaise and Luna bombard themselves in a closet. He just waved his little paws around and clicked the lock shut. Only someone on the outside could open the door now. All he needed was to speed things up with Dragon and Red. Som smirked evilly as an idea wormed into his mind.

Why not?

xXxXx

Ginny was in the library her legs propped up on a table flipping through a book trying to figure something out. Recently Ginny had gotten to thinking about Som; the creature was clearly real and the thing _claimed_ to be a Squich-Tevern, but Ginny couldn't help the feeling that there was something decisively wrong about the whole thing. Maybe she was just being paranoid, but the creeping idea that Som was hiding something did not want to leave her be. So in true, Hermione inspired form, Ginny had decided to look for the answer to it all in the library. Currently Ginny was having trouble figuring out how Hermione could keep coming to the library for answers every single time without wanting to attack something, because she herself was finding absolutely nothing useful. Maybe the books just didn't like her. The red-head had looked through so many books it was starting to get on her nerves. Ginny should have realised that this would've gotten her nowhere. Pretty much everything related to Luna Lovegood was nearly impossible to explain and never, ever made any sense at all.

"RED!" Ginny shrieked and toppled back, her chair hitting the floor with a loud, _CRASH_! Som peeked over the edge of the table peering down at her. "That hurt, didn't it?"

Ginny's eyes narrowed and was about to start yelling when Madam Pince's appeared directly over her. "Miss Weasley!" She screamed, "I will not have this ruckus in my library." The librarian pulled her up and began pushing her out the library. Ginny struggled to pick up her stuff as the librarian continued shoving her out, "Out!" Madam Pince shrieked, "Out!"

"Okay, okay," Ginny muttered, "I'm going, _jeez_." She stumbled out of the library. She walked a little further and then dropped her stuff on the ground. "Alright, Som," She said to the air, "I know you're here, what is it?"

The creature appeared on her shoulder. "Well, nice of you to ask. You see, it's a dreadful thing really; I happened upon them when they did what they did and I can't help and now I'm afraid they'll kill each other so I came to get help, see, Luna and Blaise are stuck in a closet and I can't get them out and I'm _so_ worried."

"Whoa. Slow down – Wait, _Blaise _and_ Luna_ are in a closet?"

He nodded.

"_Together_?"

"Yes."

"Are they in there on accident or is this something that was planned purposefully by them or you?"

"Now, Red, I'm hurt that you would think I did this. Especially after the whole potion thing. I didn't do a thing. I think they're stuck in the closet by accident. Can we hurry? I'm afraid Moon might kill him."

Ginny sighed, "Alright, which closet?"

"The big one by the dungeons."

Ginny followed Som as he led her to the closet. She wasn't altogether sure that they were even stuck in a closet together, but she figured that it was better safe than sorry.

Luna had been eerily calm about the potion incident. She didn't yell, cry or get angry; she just accepted it all and never once spoke of it. This frightened Ginny because she would've started a freaking parade promoting her anger. As a Weasley she firmly believed bottled up emotions spelled doom. And if any one asked her, Luna Lovegood was the walking poster-child for bottled up emotions. She didn't know what emotions they were exactly, but she did know that Luna had them locked up in a chest, sitting in the corner.

"Right here." Som declared pointing to a closet.

Ginny gave him one last speculative glance before opening the door.

"I'm done!" A cheery voice exclaimed as soon as the door creaked open. Luna was jumping up and down throwing pieces of parchment in the air. Next to her was Blaise Zabini. He was sitting on the floor with his back to the wall and long legs stretched before him.

"Well," Blaise drawled with a smile on his lips. "Aren't you happy?"

"No more stupid Transfiguration essays!" Luna sang.

Blaise's eyes darted to Ginny taking her befuddled appearance in for the first time. "'ello Weasley, how'd you get in the closet and why'd you decide to stay?" Luna looked at Ginny in confusion.

"What do you mean 'stay'?" Ginny asked, "I'm not –"

"Then why did you close the door?"

"I didn't close any –" Ginny wheeled around to face the door: it was closed. "Ughh!" She exclaimed as she tugged on the doorknob. "I'm going to kill Som!"

"It only opens from the outside," Luna supplied.

"I'm going to kill Som!" She muttered once more giving the door a kick.

"He did it?" Luna asked innocently.

"He brought me here saying you two were stuck in a closet and something about killing each other and then he locks me inside too! Stupid critter." Ginny grumbled.

Blaise closed his eyes. "Ah, well."

"You don't seem upset." Luna noted.

"I figure he'll get bored soon and open the door, if he _is_ responsible."

Luna dropped on the floor next to him and pulled her knees to her chest. "I hate optimistic people."

A flicker of a smile crossed Blaise's face. "Yes, I guess it's so much better to believe we'll be stuck in here forever. Better outlook I say. We'll live in a closet for the rest of our lives, surviving on dust and dirt alone."

And then the strangest thing Ginny had ever seen happened. Something that only she saw because Blaise's eyes were still closed.

Luna smiled.

A real, honest-to-God smile and it was brought about because of what Blaise Zabini had said. Luna laughed and smiled plenty, but there were few times when a genuine smile ever crossed the Ravenclaw's face. Very few. Ginny now had a very good idea of what exactly it was that Luna Lovegood was bottling up.

xXxXx

"There you are!" Som exclaimed as Draco Malfoy reached his hand into his bag.

Draco pulled his hand out sharply and peered in annoyance at the contents of his bag. Som was sitting inside his bag looking just a little bit harried. "What," he asked lazily, "are you doing in my bag? We've managed to establish such a wonderful relationship over the past week. The one were you avoid me and I don't hand you over to Blaise which thereby leads to the temperamental git not killing you. What happened to that deal? Did you change your mind this morning and wake up with a sudden zest to die?"

"Yes! Well, no, but Blaise and Luna are stuck in a closet and I really, really, really don't want them to kill each other so I figured I should tell you before that has the possibility of occurring." Som said in one quick breath.

Draco raised an eyebrow. "Kill each other?"

"Well, obviously Moon would be doing the killing because Blaise would never dream of killing Moon, but it's really the same concept when you think of it."

Draco sighed, trying to decide if he should listen to the Squich-Tevern. Som was clearly a Slytherin at heart and would have no qualms about lying, tricking or creating another potentially insane plan, and this seemed like something that Som would quite easily cook up; on the other hand, he hadn't seen Blaise all morning which was in itself rare because the lousy git loved attention and strived to be seen by everyone. So it was a valid possibility that the Squich-Tevern was telling the truth. Of course the reason Blaise and Luna were locked in a closet could also be Som's fault. He sighed, "All right, which closet?"

Som jumped up and started skittering out the Slytherin common room, "Oh it—"

Draco scooped Som up and held him in his hand. "Which closet?"

"Well, I could _show_ you if you _let go_ of me."

"Yeah, right. I don't trust you for a second. Which closet are they in?"

Som harrumphed, "It's the one in the dungeons by the large window on the way to Potions."

Draco transfigured a book from his bag into a small wooden box and stuffed Som in there, he closed the lid and placed a locking charm on the object. "I still don't trust you."

"This isn't fair!" Som screamed, "It's too tiny, I can't magic out if I can't move!"

"I'll let you out when I come back." Draco said walking out the door to find Luna and Blaise.

xXxXx

Ginny was sitting on the floor looking completely enraged glaring at Blaise and Luna. Luna was starting at Ginny Weasley with the complete confusion and Blaise was just looking absolutely bored. Luna figured that both Ginny and Blaise were impatient individuals and being locked in a closet tended to bring out feelings of boredom for most people. Not her though. She was actually quite interested by the whole thing. She'd ran into the closet to escape from Som and she now wanted to escape the closet, it was really very ironic when she thought about it.

"That's it!" Ginny exclaimed.

"What's it?" Luna asked cocking her head to the side.

"What – what's it? Aren't you –?"

Just then the door opened. Draco Malfoy was standing at the entrance looking very confused.

"Yay!" Luna exclaimed, "The door's open. I'm free!" She jumped up happily and walked out the closet with a rather large smile on her face.

"Is there any particular reason why all three of you are locked in the same closet?" Draco asked.

Blaise sauntered past Draco out the closet. "Long story short, it was Som's fault."

"I suppose that makes sense."

Ginny was still in the closet eyeing the space between Draco and the door. Apparently, if getting out of the closet required the red-head to be _that_ close to Draco Malfoy, she'd rather stay inside. Luna rolled her eyes and was about to call Ginny an idiot when Blaise caught her attention. He put a finger to his lips and looked from the door to Ginny to Draco. Luna's eyes widened with understanding. She started twirling close to Draco, "I suppose it's really my fault," Luna explained still twirling, "that we're locked in a closet, considering I sort of shoved Blaise in, while trying to escape from Som."

Draco backed away a bit moving further into the closet, "Lovegood, you're going to hit someone."

"Not true," she argued twirling away from the closet rather quickly. Blaise who'd positioned himself behind the door gave it forceful kick and the door slammed shut; a tiny click sounded declaring that it was locked.

Luna watched the door, "D'you think it will stay locked from the inside again?"

Someone kicked the door hard. "LUNA LOVEGOOD, OPEN THIS DOOR RIGHT NOW!" Ginny screamed.

"Yeah," Blaise smiled, "I think it's locked."

The blonde Ravenclaw smiled, "Goody. I'm hungry, come on."

Blaise raised an eyebrow, "Oh, so you're inviting me now?"

"Well, as we have clearly established, you are freakishly tall and can open the kitchens quite easily."

"I thought you could reach the pear in painting?"

"I can," Luna said stubbornly, "but I know how much you love showing off how tall you are; what kind of person would I be if I denied you the pleasure of showing off?"

"Not very nice at all."

"Exactly." Luna said and went off hopping toward the kitchens.

Blaise smiled and followed after her, thinking that he had most definitely gone mad.

xXxXx

Ginny paced inside the small dark closet trying to arrange her thoughts. She'd come up with quite a few things in the past ten minutes: first of which, the closet was _very_ small; it wasn't nearly as dark as she wished it to be, she could still see Draco Malfoy leaning against the wall haughtily; she was stuck in a closet with the last person on earth she'd want to be with; and most importantly Luna Lovegood deserved to be boiled in water – or struck by lightning – or murdered with a spoon! Which Ginny was considering doing more and more as the thought that she was stuck in a tiny, cramped closet with possibly the devil himself, _Draco Malfoy,_ became strikingly clear.

"Lord, Weasley," The devil-in-question drawled, "quit pacing. You're giving me a headache."

Ginny glared at him, then stopped when she realised the effect was probably lost in the darkness of the closet. This was all Luna's fault! Or maybe Som's… Or maybe Blaise's… Ughh! Well, someone would pay when Ginny was out of the closet. She quit pacing and sat down on the floor, planning ways to end Luna Lovegood's life.

She was coming up blank.

The most productive idea so far was to smush her head with a spoon, but Ginny was pretty sure that idea wouldn't work all too well.

Half an hour later they were still trapped in the closet and Draco Malfoy hadn't said a word, other than that "_Quit pacing, you're giving me a headache_" nonsense. Ginny Weasley was many things but most of all she was very easily bored. That was the reason she and Luna were good friends. It was impossible to be bored when Luna was around. Of course considering she was plotting the Ravenclaw's death Ginny figured it was time she found a new way to ease her boredom. "Hey Malfoy," Ginny said, the boredom getting the best of her. She couldn't believe she was actually so bored that she was willing to talk to _Malfoy_. "How would you rather die?"

Draco raised an eyebrow, but said nothing.

Ginny tapped her foot. "Come now, Malfoy, how would you rather die? Burned to death or frozen solid?"

"As much as it may amuse you to imagine ways that you could possible perish I find myself much rather imagining how to live, but then again that might just be because I'm sane."

"Hah, hah," Ginny said sarcastically, "that's really very funny Malfoy. Hilarious."

"You know, Weasley, I've heard sarcasm is a way to say what you mean without letting others know what you mean."

"Oh, quit being stupid, Malfoy, and answer the dumb question. How would you rather die?"

"If I answer will you shut up?"

"No, but then next question will be different."

Draco sighed. "Fire."

Ginny's eyes widened, "Oh, really? I always pegged you for an ice guy. You know, less pain and all that rot."

"When you freeze to death you turn an ugly white blue, people can see how you looked right before you died, you're much easier to recognize in that state and eventually I figure you must become numb to the cold so it doesn't really feel like you're dying, just like it's a waste of time." He explained.

Ginny thought over what he said. "I still think death in ice is favourable. Fire leaves you all charred and gross looking, there's chance you might be saved from a slow freezing death without any permanent scars of something, plus I don't like the heat."

"Not like a Gryffindor to take the less painful death, aren't your lot supposed to be brave?"

"Aren't your lot supposed to take the easy way out?"

"Point well taken," He drawled.

"Would you rather die at fifteen years of age or become insane at 20 years of age?"

"Depends, is the insanity incurable?"

"Yes."

Draco stared at her for a bit, "Death at fifteen."

"Really? I'd say the insanity; you know you get to live longer."

Draco shrugged, "But you'll always be known as the kid who could have done so much if it weren't for the insanity."

"You don't like being typecast?"

"Could you really feel confident knowing that that's who you'd become? That's who your children, nieces, family, friends, the world in general see you as: the girl who can't string together a sensible statement?"

Ginny thought it over, "No, I guess I couldn't. I'd hate that."

"Not that whoever you turn out to be would be of any importance. You are just a filthy Muggle-loving Weasel."

"Is there something _wrong_ with you!?" She asked in frustration. "I mean, you can't go one minute without insulting me at least _once_."

"How can I possibly live with myself if I let you walk around thinking positive thoughts about yourself? From the ridiculous idea that those freckles might suit you, to the pathetic dream that you can ever be more that another baby-making machine. Someone has to tell you."

"Ughh!" Ginny nearly screamed, "See! There you go again. Always picking at scabs, pulling at strings; you always seem to want to destroy something that's barely trying to stay in one piece."

"You're breaking, Weasley?" He asked an eyebrow raised, "And here I thought _I_ was the one who put you down, but you seem to be doing that quite well yourself."

"I am _not_ breaking. I was talking about the relationship we have."

"We don't _have_ a relationship."

"The enmity, the frustration, whatever the hell is between us is what I'm talking about."

"Weasley, there is nothing there."

Ginny growled, "There's always something there. Even when it's with a random stranger, there's always something there. You know what?" Ginny spat, the anger and frustration getting the better of her, "Forget I said anything." She slumped lower to the ground and glared at the wall, the musty dust smell of the room swirling around her. It's not like she was asking for anything much. She just wanted to get rid of the name-calling and the insults. It was just getting tiring.

They sat in silence for awhile, Ginny utilizing her time trying to stare the wall dust (With little luck) and Draco staring at the door, his eyes occasionally drifting to the red-head. Something that Draco was making up excuses for in his mind. Such as the excuse that he was only looking at her every now and then because her hair was so glaringly bright that he couldn't help but look. But he couldn't deny the truth. For the first time ever, he wondered what compelled him to be the way he was with her. Would it be so bad to just let all the stupidity fall away and be himself? He sighed.

After a bit Ginny's head dropped and her breathing became steady. She'd fallen asleep. She looked like a fiery angel. He didn't really mean anything he ever said to her; he loved her freckles and her hair and strangely enough he didn't even mind the fact that she had an intolerable family. Draco shook his head violently; he shouldn't be thinking these things. There was nothing between them after all, he'd said so to her himself.

xXxXx

Blaise was at the current moment watching Luna Lovegood spin around in circles like a slight maniac. After Luna had satisfied her hunger she'd decided to wander around the castle which he happily accompanied her with and was now currently twirling with glee about having finished the "moronic Transfiguration assignment." Luna stopped abruptly bumping into him. Her eyes were wide and questioning. "What is it Luna?" He asked.

"They're still in the closet."

"Oh," Blaise said remembering what they had done to their two best friends.

Luna blinked, "Should we go open the door?"

"What are crazy?" Blaise exclaimed, "We open the door and they'll kill us. They've just been locked in a VERY tiny room that smells like dust for hours. I don't know about Weasley but Draco is likely to murder me on the spot. Hell, I'll be lucky if he doesn't murder me period."

"Yeah," Luna noted dreamily, "Ginny too. She's very temperamental. And she has issues with him."

"Issues doesn't even cut it."

Luna looked down at him, "Do you know what's between them?"

"Ginny hasn't told you?"

"She avoids the topic like a Snerky avoids a fish."

"Ah, that's…okay."

"Well?"

"Well, what?"

Luna sighed, "Are you going to tell me exactly what the issue is or not?"

Blaise shrugged, "Well, clearly you know they had a thing. We stumbled onto them a while ago kissing remember?"

"Well, yeah, but – was it MORE than that?"

"It was exactly that, just more times."

"Oh, is that it?" She asked, "I thought it was something…bigger."

"You and I both."

"So?"

"So?"

"Are we going to open the closet or keep them in there? I don't know about you, but it'll get worse if I leave Ginny there overnight."

"Yeah," Blaise muttered, thinking. A blur of pink and black caught his eyes from across the hall. Daphne and Pansy were giggling rather loudly. Daphne had very long strawberry blonde hair pulled up into a ponytail and Pansy had a short black bob for hair. There was a point when he had had a thing with Daphne but it ended almost as quickly as it began.

"What is it?" Luna asked moving in front of him. He frowned thinking Luna looked taller than he remembered. He looked down and sure enough, she was standing on her tippy toes.

"The answer. And is there any reason you felt like being taller?"

Luna stuck out her tongue, "What answer?"

"We get someone else to open the door so Ginny and Draco's anger is directed to that someone else."

Luna grinned, "I love misplaced anger."

"Hey, Pansy!" Blaise called

Pansy turned to look, "What?"

"Draco's…I guess you could say trapped. I was wondering if you could relieve him of his current predicament?"

Pansy pursed her lips, "Trapped?"

Daphne wrinkled her nose, "Good, God, Blaise, what did you to him _this_ time?"

Luna looked at him, "_This_ time? Damn, you must be a _great_ friend."

"I didn't do anything."

"Then how," Pansy said, "do you know about his 'predicament', Blaise?"

"I happen to be very intuitive."

Luna snorted, "Right."

Daphne scowled deeply and looked at Luna in disgust. "Luna Lovegood, hmm." She flicked her hair and smiled at Blaise. "You already know Pansy will help him out, Blaise; you really should find a different puppet."

"I like my puppets very much."

"I'm sure you do." Daphne simpered.

Pansy sighed, "Where is he?"

"He's in that room with the large green door in the dungeons by the large window on the way to Potions."

Daphne blinked, "The closet? What on earth is he doing in a _closet_?"

"Strangest thing," Blaise responded, "It's a really long story, and you don't really care."

Pansy shrugged, "You're right. I probably don't care." She pulled on Daphne's hand, "C'mon Daph."

"Oh, I still don't know why _I_ have to go."

"Because," Pansy said retreating toward the closet.

Luna shrugged and started twirling in circles again. "Let's go outside." She sang happily.

"Okay."

Once outside Luna continued spinning in circles. Blaise smiled slightly and lay down on the floor. He watched her twirl around feeling very content, which confused him greatly, because he couldn't understand why watching a girl spin in circles amused him. She flopped down on the floor next to him and a sneaky little smile formed on her face. "You are not nice. Not nice at all!"

"Nice?" he scoffed, deciding to play her game. "I am the very definition of nice!"

Luna giggled "Yes, I'm sure Draco and Ginny would agree with you."

"Hey, that was _not_ my fault!" He smiled watching her blue eyes glowing. Blaise lay back on the floor. "It just happened that they were both near a closet and it just happened that Som tickled me at precisely that moment so I fell pushing them both into the closet. And of course am I _really_ to blame that the wind blew in miraculously at that moment closing the door and for some strange reason it locked?"

"Rehearsing the story you'll be feeding Draco when he gets out?"

He grinned "What do you think?"

Luna frowned thoughtfully "You're missing the part about not opening it."

He sat up "Well, of course. I unfortunately could not open it because you – bad Ravenclaw – dragged me away leaving them stuck inside and after a few cookies I'd completely forgotten they were locked in a closet."

"Me! Why blame me!" she exclaimed

"Well, you're just a perfect little blonde scapegoat."

Luna stuck out her tongue. "I could just tell them the truth."

"Now, now. You wouldn't do that, now would you love?"

"I'm thinking about it."

"LUNA LOVEGOOD!" A sharp shrill voice sounded off in the distance.

Luna sat up abruptly and upon noticing that the one yelling was Ginny Weasley pointed at the Slytherin beside her, "His fault." She piped up not needing the Gryffindor to explain her outrage.

Ginny turned on the Slytherin. Blaise sat up and lifted his hands in surrender. "She's lying. Come now, why would _I_ do that?"

"I'm not lying! He's a Slytherin! Cunning, manipulative and all that other shit."

"Lovegood's not that far from being a Slytherin and you know that."

"He is IN Slytherin."

"It wasn't me!" Blaise said innocently

"It wasn't me!" Luna piped up with the same innocence laced in her voice

"Who," Ginny muttered through gritted teeth "was it?"

Luna and Blaise looked at each other. Almost instantly Blaise eyes glittered and he faced Ginny with a grim smile. "Well, if you must know. It wasn't either of us."

"I don't believe you."

"He made us swear not to tell. But you look really scary and I really don't want to die right now." Luna chimed in

"Really, Red, if one of us had done it – or both of us – do you really think we'd have _that_ poor of an excuse? To blame each other?"

Ginny processed the information. "Fine. Who was it?"

"I really don't think we should tell." Blaise muttered seriously

Ginny looked murderous. Luna stood up and started spinning in circles for the thousandth time that day. "Ginny, you look frightening."

"WHO WAS IT!?"

"Can't tell." Luna responded at the same time that Blaise replied "Som."

"_Ooh_! You're in trouble!" Luna exclaimed. "He made you swear not to tell!" But Ginny barely heard that snatch of conversation. She was already off.

As soon as Ginny was out of earshot Luna faced Blaise, "How badly d'you think she'll kill him?"

"Kill him? She won't be able to find the bugger. Besides, he probably plotted this whole thing."

"The whole thing? You really think he planned for us to lock them in a closet?"

"Actually yes, he's a lot more twisted and manipulative than you think."

"So you're saying Som deserves it?"

"Yes, but I'm also saying he won't get what he deserves. Ginny Weasley won't have any luck finding him."

Luna cocked her head, "You're probably right."

xXxXx

A while later, Blaise was back in his dormitory counting the ceiling tiles.

"Blaise,"

The first words out Blaise's mouth were, "I didn't do it."

Draco narrowed his eyes and Blaise immediately regretted saying anything. "First off, I wasn't going to accuse you of anything and if I were, that is the stupidest response you could give and I _know_ you did it so why deny anything?"

"I've been hanging out with Luna for too long."

"That's a really marvellous excuse," Draco drawled sarcastically, "I'm going to bed."

"No, wait," Blaise called sensing that Draco Malfoy had been about to say something of immense importance. He was wearing his 'mask'. The idiot expression he wore when he was trying to discard all emotion; but of course, Blaise simply couldn't just ask Draco what was going on, the blonde would never answer that question. He found that most of the time he had to tiptoe around and handle words with extreme care and manipulation to get out any decent form of information from the Slytherin if it wasn't offered first hand. "I know, it was a stupid excuse, it's just I've been very, _very_ stupid today. And just because I'm apologizing doesn't mean I'm going to apologize about locking you in the closet. I'm actually quite proud of that achievement."

Draco's glare softened, if just a bit, "Any reason why?"

"You could say it was because I thought you needed to come to terms with whatever's bothering you about Weasley, but it was other things too. It was wanting to be alone with Luna, and tired of you refusing to say anything relating to Weasley in any way. And most importantly it was wondering how much fun it would be to lock you in a closet: by the way, it's really fun."

Draco leaned against the wall and sighed, "Well?"

Blaise collapsed on his bed glad again that he had his own private room. Being a head boy had some perks. "Well, what?"

"Usually when you devise a stupidity, you like to see if the results were the way you desired them to be; I assume this stupidity was no exception."

"I guess that means my plan didn't work well since you are calling it a stupidity."

Draco sighed and a long stretch of time passed, the Slytherin looked pained. After a short while he exhaled sharply, "Tell me why it wouldn't work, Blaise, because for the life of me I can't remember any reason why not. It's just every minute that passes from the point when you locked me in that damned closet; that stupid annoying voice in my head, that sounds suspiciously like Som, for all I know it could be Som, well anyway that voice, it keeps telling me that it could work between us."

"I'm going to presume that we're talking about you and Ginny Weasley."

Draco sat on the bed with his back to the wall, "That would be a good assumption."

Blaise smiled slowly. "I never really understood why you felt like pushing her away. You're father's dead and you don't have to listen to any of his prejudiced ramblings anymore. Narcissa is stubborn but she's not against the poor or 'Muggle-lovers'. Weasley's family's a bit tricky, I mean they'll absolutely hate you but you don't like them anyway so I guess that's irrelevant. She clearly likes you and despite my lack of serious relationships I believe some people are meant for each other and that's what I think about you and her. She's a stubborn pig-head and so are you. You have so much pride it bites you in the ass, so does she. You're both idiots, come on, if that doesn't say you're perfect for each other, I don't know what does."

"Wow, Blaise, I had no idea you were capable of such encouraging words. It's really inspiring how much of an idiot you think I am." He drawled sarcastically. "And as for what made me push her away, I used to know that, I can't remember why though. I'm starting to think I was just being stupid."

"Everyone's entitled to be stupid, but sometimes you two or should I say four idiots abuse that privilege." Som squeaked from somewhere in between them.

Draco raised an eyebrow, "Didn't I lock you in a box somewhere?"

"I managed to escape; it was really hard to do though."

"Why are you here, Som?" Blaise asked, his voice a little bitter.

"To help the Dragon."

"You don't know _how_ to help." Draco muttered.

"So _you_ say."

"So what exactly would be your advice for Draco?" Blaise asked.

"To ask Red out on a date."

"That's brilliant advice, we never would've thought of that." Blaise rolled his eyes.

"You would've thought of it but you wouldn't have followed through with it, in fact I still doubt Dragon will."

"Of course he will," Blaise looked at Draco, "right?"

"After all," Som continued, "he's a stubborn git. He'll find the stupidest irrelevant reason to start up anything again with Ginevra Weasley because he's obsessed with what he's supposed to be, even though he doesn't have to _be_ anything. You realize that when you die: that you can't live up to who others think you should be because there's nothing in the world you should be, just a million things you could."

"And when have you ever died?" Blaise asked Som.

"That's irrelevant, we were talking about the fact that Dragon has no reason whatsoever not to go out on a date with Ginny Weasley. And that he's completely enamoured with her."

Draco stared at Som. "First off, you're a moron; and secondly, you've reminded me why I don't want anything to do with Weasley, thanks for that."

"You know I'm right." Som sang before disappearing into thin air.

Blaise stared at the spot where Som had been. Sometimes that little bugger scared him. Blaise redirected his attention to Draco. "You were kidding right? About finding a reason?"

"No, I found one. She's a Weasley; I must have momentarily forgotten that." Draco said heading toward the door.

"That's not a reason!"

"I think it is." Draco drawled lazily.

"I think it's a bloody stupid excuse."

"Either way, it's still an excuse." He stated closing the door behind him, leaving Blaise alone in his dormitory. Blaise sighed and wondered how he'd managed to find an idiot for a best friend. Draco was always running from things. And as Blaise firmly believed it was his duty as a best friend to make sure that Draco's stupidity was only temporary and would leave as soon as possible. What kind of friend would he be if he let Draco run amok ignoring the painfully obvious? Especially when the blonde had already realized that he was ignoring the obvious.

xXxXx

"Did you find Som?" Luna asked as soon as a large blob of red, she assumed was Ginny appeared in her line of vision. She was spinning around in circles making it hard to see anything in good detail.

"No, and don't think that I believe you're innocent in this whole thing. I don't believe for a second that you had nothing to do with me getting locked in a closet of all places with Draco Malfoy."

"Okay, so I had _something_ to do with it, but in my defence you two were getting incredibly annoying so I decided to try to fix it."

Ginny glared at her.

"Oh, fine!" Luna exclaimed, "_I'm sorry_."

Ginny scrutinized Luna, "By the way, since when did you realize you fancied Blaise?"

Luna froze in mid-twirl, "Fancy…who?"

"Blaise Zabini."

"I do _not_ fancy him."

"May I remind you that I was locked in a closet with you and him for a good 15 minutes before the hour long interval when I was stuck with Draco Malfoy? I _know_ what I saw Luna, you fancy him."

"Well, I think all that time in a small cramped closet has made you delusional. It's quite understandable to form imaginary memories while being enclosed in a dark space with nothing else to do."

"Since when?" Ginny demanded.

Luna blew a hair out of her face, "Fine! I've figured it out ever since…the potion thing."

"Okay, so you're telling me that because you were charmed to _love_ Blaise, you've suddenly realized you _fancy_ him?"

"Well…yeah."

"Luna Lovegood, you are beyond strange."

Luna scoffed, "Who wants to be normal?"

"The general population."

"Good thing I'm not part of that group."

Ginny smiled, "Yeah, good thing."

"So," Luna sang a small smile on her face, "what's with you and Draco Malfoy? All patched up now?"

Ginny shrugged, "I don't know what going on. According to him, absolutely nothing."

"Do you want there to be something?"

"As sad as it sounds, yes."

"Don't you think Slytherins are annoying?"

"Very annoying."

* * *

**A/N:** I know this update has taken FOREVER but I'm completely overwhelmed with school work and stuff. I haven't given up on this fic, but the teachers are piling on the work. Most likely the next update will take as long as this one took. I hope you all had great holidays (mine personally weren't so great, they actually kinda sucked). R&R 


	14. Gone Off the Deep End

**Chapter 14:** Gone Off the Deep End

_- When they were handing out who gets what, JKR got Harry Potter and I got a jar of peanut butter. -_

"**The dumber people think you are, the more surprised they're going to be when you kill them."**

**William Clayton.**

**

* * *

**

Luna was lying on the floor in the middle of the hallway staring at the roof; she was contemplating Potions, Blaise, Snape, fish, Blaise, peanut butter, McGonagall, Blaise, and life in general, but Blaise was occupying most of her mind. She had decided to think in the hallway when she realized that thinking in the privacy of her room only conspired more thoughts about Blaise; she'd originally thought that the hallway would change the subject matter of her thoughts but she wasn't having much luck ridding him from her mind. This of course, led her to the terrible conclusion that maybe; just _maybe,_ Blaise Zabini wasn't something she could shove in the corner of her mind and forget about. Maybe Blaise was an issue she would actually have to _deal_ with.

"Umm…Luna?" Hermione's bushy hair and smiling face appeared above her.

Luna stared at Hermione, saying absolutely nothing wondering if her silence would compel the Gryffindor to leave her alone. Usually all she had to say was something about 'fictional' creatures to run her off, but Hermione Granger was always a bit jumpy and nervous, maybe just staring at her would do the trick.

"Luna?"

Okay, obviously not. She blinked, trying to decide which would be the fastest way to rid herself of the Head Girl.

"…Luna?"

"Did you know I met a Squich-Tevern the other day and he won't leave me alone? He just kind of meddles around in my affairs and pops up randomly mentioning rather odd things about peanut butter and the only way to calm it down is to sing?"

"I…erm…"

Hermione didn't move an inch; she just looked about awkwardly as if wondering if Luna's craziness was contagious. The blonde was filled with disappointment, it didn't seem like she was going to walk away any time. She continued to stare at the head girl blankly hoping fervently that she would leave soon. Luna sighed after a few minutes when she realized Granger wasn't going to leave, "What did you want to ask Hermione?"

"Just that…Well…I guess…" Hermione blinked, "Can I ask why you're on the floor in the middle of the hallway?"

Luna blinked, _that was what Hermione Granger wanted to ask her_? "Sure, ask away."

"Er…Why are you on the floor?"

"I'm thinking, it's a very good way to think. The best way really."

"You do realize you're lying in the middle of the hallway?"

"I do."

"…Okay, then…I suppose that's…understandable."

"Did you know peanut butter is blue in certain parts of the world? It's a proven fact, and you know, the more that I think about it, the more I begin to realize that it's really strange; I don't think I'd quite like blue peanut butter. There's just something unnerving about blue food. Well, blueberries are blue, but I don't like those too much either."

"Okay, Luna…Sure…" Hermione fidgeted, "What I really wanted to ask you was…well, you…you hang around with Zabini a lot so I figured you might know where he is right now…?"

Luna tensed involuntarily, "Zabini?"

"Er…Blaise Zabini? The Slytherin?"

"What do you want with him?"

"He's late again. We were supposed to have a meeting to discuss the ball."

"There's a ball?" Luna blurted out, "And he's taking you?" She asked a strange wave of jealousy overtaking her.

Hermione looked horrified, "_Zabini_ take _me_? _Oh_, good God, no. _No_! Of course he's not taking me! I would never—"

"Have a possibility of getting such an eloquent, charming and handsome man such as myself for a date. I'm astonished you even entertained the thought, Granger."

Hermione flushed pink, "I did _not_ entertain the thought, Zabini. Luna asked me if you were taking me. I would _never_ go with you."

He raised an eyebrow, "Yes, Granger, and I _so_ desired to be your escort." He said his voice dripping with sarcasm. "Frankly, I have my sights set on someone else," at this his gaze wavered to Luna, "but she's turned me down every time I ask her to…well every time I ask her to do _anything_, really. What do you think, Luna? Should I try asking her again?"

Hermione rolled her eyes, "You can continue this conversation later, we have a prefects meeting. I left a room full of people alone because you wouldn't show up!"

"Calm down, Granger, we're already late, what's the big deal with being three minutes later?"

"It's a big deal!" Hermione screeched.

"Well, as soon as Luna answers my question we can depart."

"Luna," Hermione muttered through gritted teeth, "can you please answer his question so we can go?"

Luna blinked, a part of her was screaming to say 'yes' that he should ask again, but that part of her brain that was constantly trying to push things away that had a habit of frightening her wanted to say 'no'. "I don't know. Answers are very hard to come by when you're confused. I'm pretty sure she's confused."

Blaise smirked, one of his trademark mischievous smirks that almost looked like a smile. "Well, then I suppose I'll have to clear up whatever she's confused about."

"Oh, come on!" Hermione exclaimed, "Let's go! You can ask Luna for girl advice later!"

He rolled his eyes, "Fine, Granger, fine." Hermione took off practically running and Blaise leaned down, so he was closer to Luna, "Did you have better luck thinking here?" He whispered to her, and then stood up following after the head girl.

Luna sat up, "How did you know that I was doing that?" She called after him.

"Because I know you quite well."

Luna lay back down and decided to try thinking for a little bit longer but soon gave up. If Blaise Zabini was the only thought her mind could process, surely it could continue doing so while she was doing something productive.

Luna sighed; she had officially gone off the deep end.

**xXxXx**

Ginny was pacing.

It's what she did when she was confused, or angry or upset or as the case was now: all three of those. She was pacing before the tall oak doors of the castle that led outside to the courtyard. She was just at a complete loss. What possible idiocy could compel her to not only like Draco Malfoy as _person_, but to fancy him? Especially when he insulted her practically every time he saw her? It made no sense in her mind's eye; why she would like him or why her mind would allow her to go through such torture to begin with when their wasn't any logical answer seemed ludicrous to the point of insanity. Nothing about this could be explained and Ginny reasoned, if it was in any way good or logical it would all be explained in books or at least understandable.

Ginny grimaced; she was starting to sound like Hermione. Not that was an entirely bad thing, it just, it wasn't really _good_. Hermione Granger spent way too much time dictating her life from the pages of a musty worn book. Ginny groaned in frustration. She wanted to say she hated this feeling, but she didn't – not entirely. She actually _liked_ feeling the way she felt toward him, she just didn't like that the feeling could never be reciprocated. Because really who was she kidding? She didn't _really_ want to be friends with Draco Malfoy (although she would settle for that), she wanted to be his girlfriend. Which if not just as bad as friendship, was even worse because it was an impossible aim; it could never be achieved. Frankly, the day that that happened would be the day that someone was able to effectively reflect an Avada Kedavra back to the sender.

Plus there was the added issue that hypothetically, if it ever happened, becoming Draco Malfoy's girlfriend would cause a lot of problems concerning her family. Not that her frustration made any _real_ difference in any of it; neither friendship nor love was going to blossom between them. He pretty much hated her and that animosity didn't seem likely to change any time soon.

So, in conclusion, her feelings of confusion and anger and sadness were irrelevant because they really weren't applicable in her situation.

And yet, she was still pacing.

She couldn't stop thinking about the whole prospect and everything that would be good about it. As well as everything that would be completely horrible about it.

She supposed that the reason she kept coming back to the same thought was that she wanted to fix it; no, she needed to fix it. Ginny was always the happy one with optimistic thoughts and a simple life with simple problems that were very simple to fix; and Draco Malfoy was just mucking it all up for her. Ginny Weasley always had to have everything look, feel and taste of perfection. She'd always been a perfectionist, but not in the same way that Hermione Granger was. Hermione strived to make her schoolwork perfect and her academic pursuits perfect but Ginny wanted her life to be 'perfect'. She wanted good enough grades to be considered smart but not so good so she was considered a know-it-all; she wanted to have just the perfect amount of athleticism; she wanted to look girly but like a tomboy at the same time. She wanted to be liked, not hated and she wanted to have that unattainable _perfect_ life. That had partly been the reason Ginny had taken up with Harry a while back, because since she was eleven, Ginny had viewed Harry as perfection. He saved the wizarding world before, he was cute, he was athletic and he was willing to save the world again; if that wasn't perfection Ginny didn't know what was. And because in her mind he was perfect, she wanted him to be included in her perfect life.

Draco Malfoy messed up her quest for perfection.

Well, him and Luna Lovegood. Luna seemed to bring out all her imperfect qualities with just one word, she drove her to near points of insanity as well as making her burst out with genuine laughter. Even though, being with Luna was as imperfect as she could get, Ginny was happy with this unlikely friendship. With Luna, Ginny didn't have to try to be perfect or positive or anything else she was supposed to be; Ginny always just felt happy to be herself with Luna. Luna had the tendency to melt façades quite easily that way. That's when Ginny started to become infatuated with Draco Malfoy; she started watching him in earnest, thinking about him and wanting to talk to him. Then when they started up…_that thing_ a while ago and Ginny'd felt happy, even with the constant knowledge that he didn't fit into the perfect world she'd been trying to concoct.

She was _happy_.

And at that point in her life, that's all that had mattered. This of course made her decide that she was either one of two things: either she had lost her marbles or maybe perfection wasn't really what she wanted.

Maybe, deep down, Ginny was tired of pretending and just wanted to be Ginny Weasley.

Ginny stumbled and lost her balance pitching backward to the floor. Ginny squeezed her eyes expecting the cold hard shove of the floor to greet her back, but instead felt something soft, warm and cushiony catch her before she hit the floor. Behind her the cushiony thing pushed her up gently until she was standing firmly again. "Thanks," Ginny sighed, twisting around to greet her saviour.

A pair of cold grey eyes stared back at her; "You should be more careful,"

_Drat_! Ginny voiced inwardly, just when she was trying to figure something out him he had to ruin it all by showing up.

Blaise smiled. "Though I do suppose the reason for you falling has to do with you trying to tear a hole in the floor, which seems quite stressing, so your clumsiness is forgiven."

"Thank you, I was just dying to be forgiven, Zabini." Ginny muttered sarcastically.

"Sarcasm, Weasley? I have to say I'm a bit surprised. It quite suits you."

"Whatever, Zabini."

"Do you by any chance happen to know where Luna is?" Blaise inquired.

"Not a clue."

"Ah, well, such a shame. Best go find her then," Blaise said pushing the doors open and heading outside.

That left Ginny _alone_, standing quite awkwardly before Draco Malfoy who was just staring at her, his lips partly open. "Well…" Ginny muttered quite sure that she should say _something_ but found that she felt like she _couldn't_ say anything. Well, naturally she had quite a lot of things she felt like saying to him, most of which revolved around the central theme that Ginny Weasley had finally gone bonkers and thought she actually cared for the Slytherin prince, but those statements didn't seem like a good thing to bring up. She did want to say a lot of things to him; the words were on the tip of her tongue rolling behind her closed lips, but she couldn't bring herself to say them just to have him insult her or scoff or something equally horrid.

Draco raised an eyebrow, "Well…?"

"Well, what?"

"How should I know? You started talking then rambled off."

"Ughh," Ginny groaned, "Forget it. Is there something you need to say or ask? Because if there is can you say it already, so I can go back to thinking and you can leave me alone?"

Draco cocked his head. "I…I wasn't going to say anything."

"Okay."

Draco started to turn but stopped, "Weasley?"

"Yeah?"

Draco motioned behind Ginny. "Blaise and Granger have decided a ball is in order." Draco stressed the world ball with a heavy veil of contempt and what Ginny believed to be vague interest. Behind her was a large sheet of parchment posted up on the wall with a sticking charm. It was to be held on Halloween and according to the parchment was centred on a Victorian theme.

Ginny inwardly groaned as an image of dancing with Draco in the Great Hall for this ball flitted through her mind. She shouldn't be thinking impossible thoughts! Why did her brain have to do that? "Stupid organ," she muttered before realizing she'd said it aloud, "I mean…That's….interesting." Ginny said, trying hard to shake away the impossible scene out of her head.

Draco fidgeted a bit, "Weasley – Ginny, I mean," He paused and Ginny's heart fluttered like mad. "If…if…" He sighed, "If you'd like to start over, from the beginning; where we should have started to begin with, I'd like to take you to the ball."

Ginny blinked, incredibly confused, elated and startled.

Starting over, even if they _were_ starting off right wouldn't be perfect. It wouldn't fit into her perfect reality. Ginny blinked as a thought crossed her mind: she didn't care. A small smile spread across her features; her entire face seemed to smile. "I think I'd like to start over."

Draco didn't smile or laugh, but his eyes softened. "Good."

**xXxXx**

Luna was sitting cross-legged underneath a large oak tree by the pond frowning at a piece of parchment. Her hair tumbled elegantly past her shoulders, spreading messily over her eyes, causing passer-by to wonder if she could actually _see_ through the blonde tangle covering the top half of her face. Ginny Weasley made her way to the blonde girl and sat down next to her. "Hi, Luna."

Luna's eyes didn't leave the parchment. "Hullo, Ginny."

Ginny frowned, "Are you alright Luna?"

Luna looked at her blankly, "What?" She blinked, "Oh! No, I mean, yeah, I'm fine."

"It's just…" Luna bit her bottom lip and her blue eyes scanned the parchment again. "I'm a little confused and…I think I'm being paranoid, but I feel like I've just been threatened."

"What are you talking about, Luna?"

Luna extended the parchment toward Ginny. She took it gingerly giving Luna a look of concern, and then read the letter. It was only four words in all capital letters written in the ugliest scrawl Ginny had _ever_ laid eyes on:

_I WANT THE CHARM_

"Who gave this to you, Luna?"

She shrugged, "I don't know. I found it on my bed. Normally I'd assume it was my housemates playing a prank but…they're not exactly smart and they're bent on tradition. They like taking my stuff so I can't use it. I don't see what they'd gain by writing this to me. If they would've put something in there to scare me or something, then I could believe it was them, but it's not really scary. All it says is, _I want the charm._

I didn't steal anyone's trinket or spell and I don't see why they'd want something of mine, so it doesn't really make nay sense to me."

Ginny frowned, "It _has_ to be your housemates. They are the only ones who can get into your dormitory," Ginny paused, "But, I do see your point, it…it doesn't make any sense. You'd figure they'd be more descriptive."

"That what I thought!"

"But who else could it be?"

"Who could what be?" Som said suddenly popping up in-between them.

Ginny waved the parchment around. "The person who wrote this letter."

Som fell quite as he read the statement. The Squich-Tevern's eyes widened as he finished. "How did he find out you have—" He stopped abruptly. "Yup, strange letter that is," He said loudly so both girls could hear, "Well," He said a strange look of panic and fear coming into his eyes, "I've things to do."

POP!

And then, he was gone. Luna and Ginny looked at each other. "Was I the only one who found that just a little weird?" Luna asked.

"That wasn't weird, that was fishy." The red-head muttered accusingly, "Som is hiding something. I think he knows who sent that letter. Didn't you hear him?" Ginny whispered.

"Well, yeah, but Som's always been a little nuts; maybe he's finally lost it."

Ginny shook her head, "No way, he's never even _had_ it. There's no way he can lose it if he's never had it. He's just as insane as he's always been. He's nervous and he's fidgety. I always thought that creature was up to something shifty."

Luna chewed on her bottom lip a look of doubt on her face, "I don't know, Ginny, he's too unstable and nuts to be up to something _shifty_. Nobody trusts a loose cannon."

"You're kind of a loose cannon, and I trust you."

"Well, yeah, but you're kind of barmy too."

* * *

**A/N:** SQUEE!! The date for HP7 has been released! I'm ecstatic but also a little sad that it's all coming to an end.  It was a bit shorter than I'd originally planned, but this seemed a logical place to end. I'm actually pretty happy; I finished this faster than I thought I would. Tell me what you think. 


	15. I Guess This is 'Or Else'

**Chapter 15:** I Guess This is "Or Else"

_Nothing here belongs to me. Just my boredom and pointless imagination. -_

**

* * *

**

"**Life does not accommodate you, it shatters you. It is meant to, and it couldn't do it better. Every seed destroys its container or else there would be no fruition."**

**Florida Scott-Maxwell.  
**

**A/N:** Okay, I'm aware I haven't updated in the longest time. I've been busy and occupied, soo sorry. I hope this makes up for it.

* * *

Som silently stared at the wall trying to figure things out. There rarely came a time when something showed up he couldn't handle – something that screwed up his plans. He orchestrated everything so perfectly and subtly that he always had things under control.

But this, he was definitely not expecting. This was absolutely horrid. After years of searching Som had finally found the girl and it just fit his luck that almost as soon as he found her so did his malevolent counterpart.

They used to be friends, they used to work together and now they were fighting against another both looking for the same thing, but for _very_ different reasons. They were at odds. And if anyone could beat him at his own game, it was going to be his previous best friend -- his enemy – Kauro.

What was he supposed to do now? The last time they were against each other someone ended up dead.

Som could not let that happen again. He would not have her die too.

One death on his conscience was enough.

He would have to keep a much closer eye on Luna Lovegood.

xXxXx

Luna Lovegood was lying on the floor with her legs crossed gazing up at a freckled red-head zipping through the sky on a broom. Luna was chewing on her bottom lip, once more trying to make sense of things. She seemed to be doing that a lot lately. Although, this time, her jumbled thoughts were not about a particularly irksome and handsome Slytherin, but on a death threat. She wasn't entirely sure if the shifting of problems was a good thing or not. Moving on from being confused about a boy to being confused about someone wanting to kill her seemed to measure the same on the bothersome scale to her.

Luna let out a sigh as Ginny descended. She hovered around the blonde girl. "Sure you don't want to try, Luna?"

Luna gave her friend a stern stare, "Do I look insane? I know everyone calls me mad and loony, but even I have enough sense to stay away from a broom. For goodness sakes' it's a _stick_." Luna emphasized stick with disgust, "What kind of stability is a stick? Only a complete nutter flies about on a stick."

Ginny rolled her eyes, "You are such a scaredy-cat, Luna. It's perfectly safe. Hogwarts wouldn't allow us to play Quidditch if it wasn't safe and sane, Luna."

She scoffed, "I beg to differ. It's a sport for blithering lunatics who enjoy dancing with death. I mean really, what sane person wants to get pelted with a bloody ball while in the _air_? Get real."

Ginny giggled, "You're such a bore, blondie."

"Better blonde, boring, and alive, then red-headed, suicidal and _dead_." Luna called to Ginny's retreating figure. The red-head was flying up into the sky once more. "It isn't smart to be that high up!" Luna had never liked heights. They didn't sit quite well with her.

"I wouldn't believe that coming from you!" Ginny called from high up a laugh in her voice, "I've heard blondes are incredibly dumb!"

"Blondes aren't dumb!" Luna defended, "Just ditsy."

"Well," a voice said a bit behind her, Luna craned her head to see who it was, although she could take a guess from the tone. She'd only heard one person with that tone of voice before in her life. Slanted brown eyes looked down at her. He was standing above her, his dark hair falling in front of his eyes. He smiled and lay beside her, "Ditsy doesn't sound right to me. From my experience with female blondes, limited to you of course, I've come to think that, flighty, indecisive, and slightly mad suit better than ditsy."

Luna blinked and stared at him, "Do you ever just say the words, 'hello' or 'hi' instead of odd and slightly insulting comments in greeting?"

"Hardly, I prefer to tease the subjects I've come to like. But if it pleases you I could acquire a taste for formal greetings."

"No. I don't think they'd suit you quite well.

"So," Blaise prompted after a few minutes of comfortable silence. Luna noticed a second broom zip through the sky joining Ginny Weasley. A platinum blonde head rode that particular broom, Draco Malfoy, Luna supposed, was riding with Ginny. It made sense. They really deserved to be with each other, they were both crazy enough to ride a stupid stick high up in the air. "Draco tells me you've been sent a threatening note."

Luna could've sworn she heard contempt in his voice. "I didn't tell him," she replied eyeing the blonde in the air who currently seemed to be playing 'catch-the-snitch' with Ginny Weasley.

Blaise's caramel eyes followed the two whizzing figures above them attentively, "I assume Ginevra told him."

There was something strange about the conversation they were having. It was almost as if they were discussing the weather. There wasn't any strained emotions, any worry, concern, any fear. They were both just speaking very monotonously. It sort of made Luna feel depressed. "Ginny would kill you if she ever heard you refer to her as Ginevra."

Beside her, Blaise closed his eyes and he pressed his lips together in annoyance.

"Blaise?" Luna asked quietly.

"Why didn't you tell me?" He was angry. _Oh, Lord_, Luna inhaled sharply. She'd never heard his voice like this. He was always happy, and bouncy. She bit her lip – _Why on earth was he angry anyway_? She was the one being threatened. "You were sent a threatening note," Blaise continued, the anger never straying, "_five_ days ago and you didn't tell me. It's not like we didn't see each other. I talk to you _everyday_." His eyes were still closed. Somehow this made Luna feel worse. Blaise always talked with his eyes more than with his mouth. If he had them closed he was trying to keep her from seeing the extent of his anger. "Why wasn't I informed?"

Luna sighed, what was there to lose? Honesty was supposed to be the best policy or some rot like that. "I really didn't think you'd care. It's not like I'm important to you, right?"

"If you weren't an important part of my life, I wouldn't bother speaking to you. I really didn't think you were _that_ daft."

"Well, apparently I am."

"Clearly."

"Well, it's late, but," Luna stuck her hand in her pocket and pulled out the folded sheet of parchment, "this is the note I found on my bed. I don't know who sent it or why. Other than a band of disproportioned Squallywaggles I can't think of what else could have done this.

Blaise sat up and unfolded the note, "Squallywaggles?"

"Tiny, bug-sized, fuzzy, three-tailed creatures that enjoy leaving nonsensical messages."

"I doubt that's it."

"I didn't think so either, but I don't have any other clues." Blaise didn't respond, but Luna found she didn't mind. He perplexed her because he seemed to listen to every word she said – something she wasn't used to. Even Ginny sometimes spaced out when she spoke of 'made-up creatures'. He actually seemed to _want_ to learn.

Blaise handed the note back to her and they spent some time in silence. "I know it's a bit late," Blaise said calmly, a long time later, "considering the dance is in 3 days, but would you like to accompany me?"

"When you say 'accompany'…?"

"Be my date."

Luna blushed. "I…I…"

"Since you seem to have trouble stringing together a reply, I can be of assistance. The words 'I would love to' would suffice. 'Yes,' would work well too."

Luna bit her bottom lip and thought about something. _Why did he care_? He shouldn't care. Nothing was going to work… "Blaise?"

"Yeah?"

"You aren't going to find anything you're looking for."

He looked at her, "What are you talking about, Luna?"

1"I guess I just figure, that in cases like this, one has to be...I guess, honest is what I'm looking for. I'm not exactly normal you know? I'm not the crazy weird that people think of me, but I'm most definitely not normal. And if you are even thinking of continuing doing whatever it is you think you're doing then you should be aware that you aren't going to find what you think you're searching for."

Blaise blinked a little awed by her speech. "What makes you think I don't already _know _you aren't normal? And what makes you think that you know what I'm looking for and are quite certain I won't find it?"

Luna shrugged. "I know a lot of things. And I know people like you. You won't find what you're looking for, whatever it is that you are looking for. I can assure you of that. I may not know exactly what it is you're looking for but I thought I should warn you that you aren't going to find it nonetheless. No one ever finds what they're looking for when I'm involved. I'm not normal."

Blaise eyed her curiously, "Well then it's a good thing I'm not really looking for anything. And…" He paused, "Luna, when are you going to understand that normalcy isn't a virtue? It rather denotes a lack of courage. The fact that you aren't normal only makes me admire you."

"Well," Luna smiled and sat up, "In that case, I would love to go to the dance with you. But be warned, I am a _terrible_ dancer. You're feet might end up all squished once the night is through. I could rival Neville Longbottom in dancing skills."

He smiled, "That's fine; my feet aren't my favorite part of my body anyway."

Luna turned her eyes to the sky where Draco and Ginny were flying.

"Who would've thought they'd decide to start over?"

"I know," she agreed, "I thought it was a lost cause. Hell, I still hoped it would happen, but I doubted it." She paused, "You think, Som had a lot to do with it?"

"Naturally. I think the critter's smarter than the lot of us. To be honest, I think everything we've done to contribute to their relationship has been part of his 'great plan' all along. _We_ were part of his plan, I think."

"Ginny thinks that too." Luna frowned as she watched the red-head. "Is it just me or is Ginny flying more like a maniac than usual?"

She was bucking to and fro like mad. "I think," Blaise frowned, "it's not just you."

Ginny's broom started speeding toward them – to the ground.

"Okay," Luna said getting a little frightened, "I'll be the first to admit I don't know a thing about flying, but isn't she going down too fast?!"

Blaise scrambled up, "Dammit!"

Draco's broom seemed to be rocketing in similar fashion to Ginny's, but he seemed to have a better grip on it. He was more-or-less maneuvering it so it wasn't speeding down toward them at such a ridiculous speed.

Ginny's red hair wasn't far from Luna and the blonde knew if she didn't move soon she was going to be murdered by a red-head on a broom. But she couldn't move an inch. Luna was completely terrified. She just sat there staring at the oncoming speeding force she was about to be hit with.

"Lord, you _are_ daft!" Blaise exclaimed before wrapping his hand quickly and deftly around her wrist and jerking Luna out of the way.

The last thing Luna saw was dust. The last things she felt were warm fingers boring into her wrist and a soft warm body sheltering her from the crash. The last thing she heard was a horrifying crash and crack of bones meeting dirt. The last thing she thought was 'please don't let Ginny or Draco be dead.' Then a black curtain swept her very soul.

xXxXx

It was fuzzy. There were a couple colours: red, gold, white – lots of white, blue, black and a few others she couldn't identify yet. It all looked like blobs dancing around. There was also this one voice that seemed to be getting louder and louder and _louder_. "Shut up," Luna grumbled, her throat dry and mouth sticky. The colours were still dancing, but they were slowly taking a form. The loud voice didn't seem to be stopping.

"Oh, thank heavens! She's alive. ALIVE! I was afraid – that means – _peanut butter_! Of course! We must celebrate with peanut butter! I know we'll have spaghetti noodles topped with chocoloate, almonds, and peanut butter!"

Luna grumbled and carefully sat up, the shapes starting to make sense. There were quite a lot of beds with white sheets, an ugly red clock, an irked but relieved Blaise lounging on what appeared to be her bed, a bored Draco slouched in a char, an ecstatic Som chittering away, and a motionless red-head in the bed beside her.

"Is Ginny—"

Blaise cut her off, "Ginevra's fine. The little lion is just sleeping."

"Oh. Good." Luna breathed and relaxed.

"So it's agreed then!" Som exclaimed, "We celebrate!"

"Som, _shut up_." Three voices chanted in unison.

"Sheez. You'd figure you lot would be kinder to me after all I've done for you."

"_Sure_, we'll be kinder," Blaise drawled sarcastically at the same time Draco muttered, "_Yeah right_. What you've _done_ for us."

Luna replied with a giggle.

There was a moment of silence, well except for Som's usual chitter, before Luna asked a question that had been throbbing in her mind. "Do we know…who did that to your broom and…" Luna leaned forward, careful to whisper the next part. "Do you think someone was trying to kill us?"

Blaise sighed. Draco groaned. Ginny snored. Som shut up and backed away stealthily into the shadows. "We," Blaise paused, "aren't quite sure. It could've been an accident, but we think," Another pause, "whoever or whatever it was, was trying to hurt, possibly…kill…you. After all, both brooms were headed toward _you_, and you've been threatened."

Luna's eyes widened to the size of saucers, "Me? That's just _fantastic_! What the hell have I done to have something try to assassinate me? _And_ hurt Ginny in the process!"

"Oh, that's right," Draco drawled, "Blaise and I weren't hurt in the least."

"Sorry," Luna grumbled, "I'm just upset and angry. I mean, hell; I don't want to be murdered."

"Trust me; none of us want _anyone_ murdered." Blaise said.

Draco frowned, "Som's been awfully quiet don't you think?" Three heads turned to watch the Squich-Tevern. "You _know_ something." Draco accused, "What do you know that we don't?"

"Lots of things," Som squeaked, "like there's such a thing as blue peanut butter and Squallywaggles eat concrete and—"

"Cut the crap, Som; what—"

"Mr. Zabini! Do NOT use such _foul_ language in the infirmary!" Madam Pomfrey exclaimed walking into the room. "You are supposed to be resting!"

"I am." Blaise replied.

"In your own bed!" Madam Pomfrey turned to Draco, "You too, Mr. Malfoy! Both of your back to your _own_ beds NOW!"

"Fine, fine," Blaise complained, removing himself from Luna's bed. He paused before the bed as if thinking hard about a particular subject. Then he leaned down and pecked Luna Lovegood lightly on the lips. "Not too forward, I hope." He whispered, "I just couldn't help myself."

Luna just smiled as he walked back to his bed. Draco followed after with such a sullen look on his face. "I hate hospital areas." He grumbled.

Luna raised her fingers to touch her lips gingerly.

xXxXx

Two days later, Luna, Blaise, and Draco were released from Madam Pomfrey's care. Ginny, on the other hand wasn't fit to be released until four more days had passed, meaning Ginny and Draco would miss their 'starting over' date at the Halloween ball.

Luna felt sorry that Ginny would miss her date but Luna was still smiling like a maniac because she _could_ go to the dance.

With Blaise Zabini.

"Hello, Luna." Blaise pulled her hair slightly and played with her radish earring.

Luna blinked, "Yup, normal greetings really don't suit you."

"Yes, and they're not quite fun either."

Luna paused to stare at a portrait. "How are you today, Mionkadora?"

"I lost all my card money to the fat lady, Dusa."

Blaise frowned, "Portraits have money?"

"She's more than just a portrait, Blaise." Luna scolded.

"Ugh, that's rude!" The portrait spat at him.

"Mostly, he's nice; he's just not used to conversing to anything different from himself."

"I see…" the portrait muttered distastefully. "Well, I expect you want to come in, Luna?"

"Oh, yes, I…" Luna paused and looked at Blaise. "I don't think you're allowed in my common room."

"Oh, no," Blaise shrugged, "I'm definitely not, but if you feel like breaking the rules, I'd like to come in. I've nothing to do. But if you don't…"

Luna blinked and faced the portrait, "Tinere"

The portrait swung open.

Luna went through and turned back to watch Blaise, "Are you coming or not?"

Blaise grinned and followed her.

Luna started up the stairs to her dormitory, and then looked back at him, "You might have trouble getting up the girls' stairs…"

"Don't worry about that. I've had…experience."

Luna smiled and continued up the stairs, "You aren't getting that kind of experience with me today, Blaise Zabini."

"I assumed as much." A small smile crept up his face, "When you say 'not today' does that mean someday later?"

Luna didn't say anything. She continued up the stairs and smiled. Blaise couldn't see the smile, which Luna felt made it all the more special. A couple of girls giggled in the common room as Blaise used the 'tricks' he'd learned to follow Luna up the stairs.

Luna opened the door to her dormitory and nearly fainted. She should've screamed, but found her voice had gone and disappeared.

"Holy fuck." Blaise said from behind her. He pushed the door open further and walked in surveying the room. "Looks like we were right, someone _really_ wants to kill you."

Her dormitory was completely trashed. Cabinets were overturned, sheets slashed and scattered, trinkets littered the floor everywhere, and in bright red paint (Luna dearly hoped it was paint) the words 'I meant it' were scribbled on the wall.

A small white note was on her bed, a blade stabbed through it attaching the note to her bed. Luna walked over tentatively and pulled out the knife. She looked at the note:

I WILL KILL YOU NEXT TIME. I WILL GET THE CHARM. YOU _WILL_ DIE.

"This is just great!" Luna ranted. "What the fuck! I'm gonna die before I even get to go to the fucking dance!!"

"Calm down, Luna. I'm not letting anyone kill you. You are going to that dance. Hell, I _deserve_ that dance. We are _going_ to that dance. Death threat or no."

Luna blinked, slowly calming down. "Well, at least I'll be alive until tomorrow's over."


	16. Why Me?

**Chapter 16:** Why Me?

* * *

_Harry Potter belongs to JKR. Not me. It's never me. Why not me? -_

xXxXx

"**Character cannot be developed in ease and quiet. Only through experience of trial and suffering can the soul be strengthened, ambition inspired, and success achieved."**

— **Helen Keller****  
**

xXxXx

Luna's eyes narrowed angrily. She was furious, positively livid. The blonde was standing before an angry McGonagall. It was a frightening scene; both women were staring at each other furiously, eyes narrowed, lips pursed and not one single word slipping from either for the longest time. McGonagall had _that_ look plastered on her face. The murderous look. But Luna Lovegood showed no fear, she just mirrored it back. The tension was practically cracking in the air between them.

"Just what are you accusing me of, _Professor_?"

McGonagall scoffed, "You can't honestly expect me to believe you wrote this, Lovegood." She waved a stack of parchment through the air – Luna's transfiguration essay. The essay that she had in fact struggled over endlessly and finally had to accept help from Blaise Zabini to get finished. "It's…well, it's actually coherent! And sensible! Who exactly wrote this for you? You know what, that doesn't even matter! What I—"

"_I_ wrote it, Professor. How _dare_ you say I didn't! I admit, I got help, but you said that I could do that. You said—"

"I know what I said, Lovegood, but you are _lying_. You did not write this!"

"Yes. I. Did."

"No you didn't!"

"I think I know what _I_ did better than _you_. It's my life!"

"Lovegood STOP arguing with _me_! Just admit you cheated and had someone write it for you!"

"Get it through your old, wrinkly, thick, head, I did NOT cheat. _I_ wrote the paper! _Me_. L-U-N-A—"

"Show me respect you—"

"Why," a cold sneer uttered, interrupting McGonagall, "I didn't know it was in the job description to bicker loudly with our students, Minerva."

McGonagall stiffened, "That – _girl_, had someone write her essay for her and won't admit it."

"Does it really matter whether she admits it of not?" He asked.

"I—" McGonagall began.

"Of course it doesn't!" Luna blurted out. "Because as I told the old bat, _I_ wrote the essay. ME! M-E!!"

"Twenty points from Ravenclaw, Luna." A new voice yawned, "Can't have you insulting our teachers. Isn't proper and all that rot, even if she _is_ old and incorrect."

"_Mr. Zabini_,—" McGonagall began.

"I'm going to take 20 points from Slytherin in advance for my language, Professor." Blaise yawned again and gave McGonagall a blank stare, "You are the most insufferable, annoying, stubborn, _erroneous_ woman I've ever met. She _did_ write it. It took her about three stacks of parchment, two bottles of ink, forty incoherent rants and way too much time for a stupid essay. I should know, the bloody bird irritated me so much I decided I had to help despite her fervent protests. Managed to keep her from writing anything 'ridiculous' as Luna mentioned you'd insisted."

McGonagall blinked, "_Two_ bottles…? _Three_ stacks…?"

"Well there you have it, Minerva, Lovegood _did_ write the essay." Snape almost smiled.

xXxXx

Ginny Weasley was sitting up with her legs crossed on a hospital bed watching her best friend twirl around. Luna's hair was braided into a million little braids entwined with shiny threads of every colour in the rainbow. She had tied the pile of braids into a low ponytail to the left. She was wearing a pink, silken, long-sleeved dress that barely showed the edge of her small round green shoes. Gold threads ran along the edges of her sleeves. She looked like a mismatched princess out of a storybook. Ginny thought the petite blonde looked absolutely radiant, in that odd bizarre sort of way that ONLY _Luna_ could pull off. Luna Lovegood had decided to stop by the hospital wing before meeting Blaise to go to the dance, so she should see how her best friend was faring.

Sure, Ginny was a little bitter that she was going to miss the dance – miss her date with Draco, but she was happy to be alive. Better breathing and not dancing right? And she was also happy for Luna.

"Well, Luna, you look beautiful." Of course, Luna was not with her quirks. She still wore the butterbeer cork necklace that she never seemed to take off and a pair of animated serpent earring that seemed to slither about every now and then. "Interesting earrings, by the way."

Luna smiled, "You think they're ridiculous don't you?"

Ginny grinned, "_Oh, yeah_."

Luna stuck out her tongue playfully, "You have no taste, Ginny Weasley." The red-head just smiled. "Oh! I almost forgot!" Luna handed her a stack of books. "I know you'd recently been researching creatures, both mythical and real in the library so I figured these would help. Some are from my fathers' private collection and some," Luna wrinkled her nose and made a face, "are from credible authors." She shrugged. "I figured it would give you something to do. You'll be in here for a while longer after all."

Ginny smiled, "Thanks, Luna, that's sweet." Ginny didn't bother to ask how Luna knew. Somehow the girl just always happened to know _everything_.

Luna smiled brightly, "Well, I should be going. I'll visit soon, I swear!"

Ginny couldn't help but roll her eyes as her friend hopped out of the hospital wing on her left foot. Luna insisted that one should only use one foot when walking out of a medical area to decrease the probability of having to come back as an injured patient.

Luna was the quirkiest and strangest girl Ginny'd ever met. Surprisingly enough, it didn't really bother the red-head. Ginny pulled the first book off the top of the stack she'd been given.

_The Squich-Tevern, Squallywaggle, and Qarkyle's Habits and Personalities._

Ginny thought back to her suspicions of Som. Ginny glanced at the titles of the other books: _The Hidden Agenda of Creatures in Hiding, Creatures the Ministry Doesn't Want You To Know About, The Truth About Small Rodents, Spirits and Embodiments, Mythical Creatures and Their Stories_.

She might actually find what she was looking for. Ginny could've slapped herself. It made perfect sense. Nothing related to Luna ever fit into the logical perspective, if she was going to find an answer concerning a Squich-Tevern, Luna herself was the first place she should've looked. Ginny opened the first book.

xXxXx

"Surprise!" Luna giggled tackling Blaise Zabini to the floor before the stairs leading up to the Ravenclaw dormitory.

Blaise grunted and felt the air leave his lungs, "Lord," he muttered, oxygen having trouble entering his body. He was about to ask her if she could move when he saw her. She was sitting happily on his chest, braids brushing past each other. Her cheeks were flushed and her eyes were shining brightly. Good, Lord, she was beautiful. She wearing a pair of stupidly ridiculous serpent earrings that slithered about and she was still wearing her butterbeer cork necklace. She looked like herself. Her nutty, beautiful, incredibly insane self. "Whatever happened to saying hello?" He managed to breathe out. So what if he died of asphyxiation? Hell, as long as Luna was sitting on top of him looking like _that_, he couldn't care less what happened to him.

"Hello is so overrated." Luna grinned and swung off of him. "C'mon, we've a dance to go to! We're late!"

Blaise got up with as much dignity as he could muster, which really wasn't very much, and cleared his throat, "And whose fault is that? I've been here for awhile."

Luna shrugged, "I was visiting Ginny."

He smiled, she really was an enigma. "Well, let's go then." He always tended to lose his demeanour when in the presence of the blonde. He was starting to realize he didn't mind. Blaise Zabini was hardly ever surprised, but all Luna Lovegood tended to do was surprise him. He didn't understand her and highly doubted he ever would. Blaise smiled. He loved the mystery.

The great hall had been decorated with heavy velvet cloths, shimmery, spun, translucent veils; interesting, gothic looking statues that chanted poems, commented on people's attire, and gave snarky comments. Despite the fact that Blaise pretty much slept through every meeting and hardly helped Granger at all, the ball didn't seem to be a complete disaster so far. In passing he heard someone mention something about giving money to enter a contest to see who was the best and most authentically dressed couple. During the meetings he had heard about this contest but as was his custom he didn't focus too much attention on it.

"You don't really want to enter the contest do you?" He whispered in Luna's ear. He noticed with satisfaction the slight blush across her cheeks, as his lips brushed her skin tenderly.

"N-No." Luna cleared her throat trying to fight the blush. She found it ridiculous that just his _touch_ could make her blush. It was an inane reaction. Frankly, the only times she ever seemed to blush were in his presence. "Contests are just a form of crushing spirit. Everyone is special in their own way and a bunch of stupid people saying one looks better than everyone is a pathetic ritual. Something I refuse to take part in."

"Good," most people _loved_ contests and _loved_ winning but growing up with his model of a mother had given him a strong dislike for any type of competition based on appearance. It was so superficial and shallow. "I hate those things." A slow song started. "Would you care to dance?" He asked extending his hand.

Luna smiled and took his hand pulling him to the dance floor. "Of course, let's go."

xXxXx

Ginny was skimming through _The Truth about Small Rodents_ when she noticed Draco Malfoy enter the hospital wing. Ginny blinked wondering if reading all that nonsense had lulled her into sleep. After all, there was no way Draco Malfoy would visit her in the hospital wing holding a bouquet of three daises if she were awake.

He looked slightly uncomfortable as he handed her the flowers. "It was Blaise's idea," he muttered embarrassed. "He started talking nonsense about girls liking flowers and Som backed him up saying daises were best so…" A slight pink was visible across his cheeks. Draco refused to look at her. He busied himself by studying the books by her bedside. Now, Ginny _knew_ she had to be dreaming. Draco Malfoy didn't blush. It was impossible for him to blush. Something about the blonde hair and pale skin made it genetically impossible for that boy to blush. She accepted the flowers wondering if soon her dream would morph and something would transform into a deadly snake. Recently most of her dreams ended like that. "Where is Som anyway?"

"Watching out for any murder attempts on Luna Lovegood."

"Oh." Ginny had recently stared believing Luna's spits about dreams being the epitome of evil, this line of thought of course was making it very hard for her to enjoy her current situation, because it strongly felt like a dream… She bit her lip. "Am I dreaming?"

Draco raised an eyebrow, "Well, I'm quite sure I'm awake. I know _I'm_ real, not a figment of your imagination, so therefore, you must be awake as well."

Ginny pinched herself. She flinched. Yup, it hurt. So clearly this was real. Even though it made practically no sense at all. Life was becoming more like Luna liked to say. One of Luna's favourite comparisons:_ Life makes about as much sense as fruit salad. What kind of person makes a fruit salad anyway? See? It makes no sense, but you can't deny it tastes good._ "Just making sure I'm not dreaming." She muttered.

Draco sat down on the chair beside her bed and picked up one of the books on her bedside, "What nonsense are you reading?"

"Luna lent them to me. I figured I should put them to good use. Besides it made sense to me, if I was going to find anything out about him it would naturally have to be in Luna's store of knowledge."

"Him?" he inquired.

"Som. I suspect him of…well I'm not sure of what. But something doesn't sit quite right about him, so I'm researching."

Draco flipped through a book, "I could see that. If I were a bit more motivated or concerned I might be persuaded to research as well."

Ginny cocked her head to the side, "Why are you here?"

He sighed "I'm a little confused myself." Grey eyes met brown. "I mean sure, I could say I was checking to see how you were, but I've never really bothered to visit anyone in medical areas. Places like that – well, I have a slight phobia. But for some reason I felt compelled to visit you. I rather do loathe the hospital wing." He paused and stared at her, "I suppose I'm here because…you're a very sentimental twit. You could see me not visiting as a negative connotation."

Ginny scowled and threw the book she was holding at his head. He moved and it hit the adjacent bed. Ginny tried to sound irritated but was failing. "I'm _not_ a sentimental twit." She sounded happy. And she felt happy.

Draco smiled slightly. After all, smiling ostentatiously went against every fibre of his being.

"Hand me that book will you?"

Draco handed her _The Hidden Agenda of Creatures in Hiding_. He picked up the one next to it: _Spirits and Embodiments_ and started skimming through it.

After a while, Draco looked up at her. "You don't suppose Som could be a spirit?"

Ginny blinked, "What?"

"Well it says here that 'banished spirits are imprisoned in the land of the living with an earthly form. They are therefore destined to remain in their earthly prison for eternity unless they complete the task the spirit lord has given them and prove themselves to be essentially good and pure.'"

"What makes you think he's a sprit?" Ginny asked.

"Before. When we, Blaise and I, were discussing something, Som mentioned death. He made it seem…as if he'd died at some point. I may not be clear on spirits but don't they become spirits upon death?"

Ginny blinked, "Oh…My…"

xXxXx

Som's eyes strayed from Moon and Snake just once, _once_ in the whole night and he would forever be infinitely glad he had. All night long Moon had smiled and laughed and just looked pretty. When she walked into the great hall, he immediately noticed the butterbeer cork necklace. As he'd expected, she hadn't taken it off.

She never took it off.

He was glad for it. It made everything easier. He'd had his eyes glued to them for hours. Watching nothing but Moon and her surroundings.

But when his eyes drifted to the ceiling, he realized he wasn't doing a very good job. He realized for all the care and determination he had, he wasn't very observant. The chandelier, poised directly above the two was shaking slightly. Upon further observation he noted how the grand structure shook and the screws attaching it to the ceiling were loose. Som frowned and focused more closely on the structure. It was shaking more violently and…

Som inhaled sharply as his eyes met with an old friend.

Dammit.

xXxXx

"MOVE!!" Som yelled loudly.

Before Luna could even think about what that warning meant, Blaise yanked her off to the side with incredible strength and anxiety. She tumbled painfully and ungracefully to the cold, hard floor. Shining bits of crystal flew down past her eyesight and felt to the floor with the loudest crash she'd ever heard. The crinkle of glass awoke Luna from her stupor and she bowed her head down as she felt numerous thin shards of glass fly past her and _into_ her, cutting into her skin ruining her new dress.

After what felt like hours, but in reality was mere seconds, the ruckus subsided. Luna sat up and stared at the broken structure. Stared at where she'd been standing only moments before.

Beside her Blaise grunted and sat up straight. "See? I told you I wouldn't let anyone kill you."

Luna was speechless. Another freaking murder attempt.

"Luna?"

"Ugh!" Luna exclaimed and flopped back onto the floor staring up bitterly at the roof. "What the _hell_ did I _ever_ do to deserve this? Why _me_!?"

* * *

**A/N:** I'm not dead, or forgotten this fic. Really! I haven't! I've just been preoccupied with my current FF obsession: Naruto. I"ve been writing alot for that. (If you read that, don't bother looking under my stories, I have them under a different account. I'd be glad to tell you if you wanted to know.) So, I'm super duper sorry! I have the next three chapters already written, it's just a matter of typing them up and editing them, so I'll try really hard to update. _At least_ once a month. My resolution for this year. 


	17. Enter the Spirits

**Chapter 17:** Enter the Spirits

_

* * *

_

_So, as we've clearly established, I don't own anything of any value…unfortunately. This includes Harry Potter -_

xXxXx

"**Life does not cease to be funny when people die any more than it ceases to be serious when people laugh."**

**— George Bernard Shaw  
**

xXxXx

"Best ball of the century, they'll be saying. It had everything, a contest, music, lovely decorations," Luna waved her hands in the air dramatically, "a crystal chandelier falling from the ceiling almost crushing the students… Oh, yes, _greatest_ ball _ever_."

Ginny chuckled at her friend's sarcasm, "You know the funny thing is I think part of you really enjoys the fact that you were almost killed at a ball by a chandelier."

"Well, it _does_ reinforce my theory about dances being the hangout for irate, malevolent evil creatures. They are irked by the loud music, drawn to crowded areas, and all-around enjoy crushing people with things. I've always said balls are quite possibly the cornerstone of evil. I told you our third year didn't I? 'Go to that dance, Ginny Weasley,' I said, 'and you'll regret it forever.' And what happened? Neville squished your feet to pulp. Not that he meant to do so, poor dear. All I'm saying is nothing good happens at balls. This _proves_ it."

Ginny chuckled. "You are positively raving mad, Luna."

"Why, thank you. I don't hear that quite as often anymore."

Ginny smiled. She was finally out of the hospital wing. While she knew she should be worried about someone trying to kill Luna again, she couldn't possibly bring herself to be sombre. Such a thing was impossible with Luna, especially since it was the first time she was walking around for days. The hospital wing was annoying.

They were taking a stroll outside per Luna's insistence.

'_Nothing bad can happen outside.'_

_'Oh, and why not, Luna?'_

'_It's the magic of the grundlepixies. They spook the air. No matter how bad something seems, it'll turn out okay in the end if you stay outside. And don't you say grundlepixies don't exist. They do.'_

_Ginny put her hands up in surrender, 'Wouldn't dream of it._'

So there they were, outside. "Speaking of which, Luna, while I was in the hospital wing, Draco and I were looking at the books you let me borrow and…well, we came to a conclusion."

"You mean theory."

"Yes, of course." Ginny brushed her hair aside. "Well, we think there's a very good possibility Som's a spirit."

Luna looked at the red-head. "A spirit? Spirits reside in their world, not ours."

"We think he's a banished spirit whose mission, for some reason I've yet to discover, is to protect…you."

Luna scoffed, "_Me_? Preposterous. I think it's more likely he's trying to kill me."

"If he were trying to kill you," Draco drawled appearing out of nowhere, "he _would_ have succeeded by now."

"Besides," Blaise murmured into her ear. She saw him smile wolfishly as she shivered slightly. He moved back a bit and raised his voice so the others could hear, "Why would he try to get you romantically involved with someone and _then_ kill you? It makes no sense."

"To throw off suspicion," Luna defended.

Ginny's eyebrows knotted together, "Do you really think he's trying to kill you?"

Luna sighed. "No. But _protect_ me? How ludicrous is that? Why would the mission of a spirit be to _protect_ me? I'm nothing special."

"I beg to differ." Blaise said coolly. Ginny's hand had at some point during the conversation intertwined with Draco's, Luna couldn't help but smile at the small affection. Blaise's arm was draped across Luna's shoulder, "Sickly, adorable morons aren't they?" He murmured in her ear.

"Ginevra Weasley, what the _hell_ do you tank you're doing?!" Belted out an angry voice.

"Oh, bugger," Blaise muttered drawing his hand up to his forehead. "He's only said one sentence and I can sense the beginning of a headache coming on." He rubbed his temples as a furious red-headed boy approached the four of them.

Ronald Weasley.

"The only thing more annoying than Granger is her over-protective, idiot of a boyfriend." He mumbled irritated.

"Why, whatever do you mean, brother dearest?" Ginny asked innocently.

Ron Weasley spluttered for a bit before he was able to form a coherent sentence, "You are holding hands with Draco Malfoy. And I've been hearing that you are doing other – other things like – like—"

"Kissing, snogging, perhaps fucking." Draco drawled.

Ginny slapped him on the arm, "We have _not_ done that and you know that."

"Oh, we've most certainly done the first two."

"Well," Luna interrupted before Ron could erupt again, "As sure as I am that this conversation will be magnificently interesting I have better things to do, like counting the ceiling tiles, creating a blanket out of tissue paper and just staring at the wall." Luna held up her hands, "And don't worry, I wont miss a second of vital information. I've got the run-down of this conversation already mapped out in my head.

"Ronald yells. Ginny gets furious. Ronald insults Draco. Ginny gets angrier. Somehow my relationship with Blaise gets mentioned. I'm subtly insulted. Blaise gets insulted. Draco gets insulted again. Ginny goes into a fit of rage and attempts to kill Ronald. And for unknown reason Draco stops Ginny from killing Ronald, probably because he _does_ have an ethical code. Draco forcefully, sternly and angrily tells Ronald to back the hell off. They then argue and insult each other for a while. Ginny then stomps off in anger at _both_ Ronald and Draco. Ronald then goes away to complain to someone else.

"See? I know the story." Luna waved, "So, buh-bye!"

The blonde girl then ran off, leaving Ron flabbergasted and annoyed, Draco confused, Ginny irate, and Blaise in laughter.

xXxXx

Luna looked down at her feet then back at the bundle in her hands. She was balancing five books in her hands and was trying to figure out if it was safe to take both herself and the books downstairs to the library at the same time. She could of course use a levitating charm but that would require her to put the books down, open her bag, pull out her wand, cast the spell, close her bag, _and then_ head down to the library. It just seemed like too much work. Besides the books weren't all that heavy…

Luna bit her bottom lip and mentally shrugged. It should be ridiculously easy to head down with the books, besides the worst that could happen is that she would trip and break her arm. That wasn't _too_ severe. After all, madam Pomfrey could fix that in a jiffy.

Luna skipped down the winding staircase deciding no levitating charm was needed.

"Luna Lovegood!" A stern voice called out from somewhere below her. She shifted the books a bit, pausing her skipping to see him. Blaise was looking irritated, his eyebrows knotted in frustration, eyes narrowed.

"What?" Luna sang at him happily. She could tell he was a bit frustrated with her, but just seeing him, angered or not, made her content.

"Are you mad? You're going to fall and crack your head open!"

"Of _course_ I'm mad. What kind of sane person isn't crazy? And for your information, I'm not going to fall."

His eyebrow was twitching. "Luna, you're a witch! Use a levitating charm!"

"Too much work." Luna replied and continued hopping down the stairs.

Blaise tried very hard not to roll his eyes and snap at her. Such actions would normally make him feel peeved that she was risking her life unnecessarily, but considering someone or something was trying to kill her, he was more than peeved. He wanted to shake her until sense sunk into her brain. "Oh, bugger." At this rate, she alone would be responsible for her own death. He quickly searched his robe for his wand and headed to the stairs Luna was on as fast as he could manage. Having her die was not in his plans, thank you very much.

At the foot of the stairs Luna was heading down, was a metal knight statue holding a spear in its right hand. The statue was turned slightly so the spear pointed in the direction of the floor right before the stairs. He thought absently that if someone were lying by the foot of the stairs and that spear managed to pitch forward it would really harm them. That statue didn't appear to be in a very safe place…

Luna was still content that she was balancing the books perfectly as she made her way down the stairs that she paid no mind, to Blaise's protests.

"Luna! Put the books DOWN, woman!"

Luna groaned. "Fine!" She placed the books on the step and put her hands on her hips. "Happy?"

Blaise leaned against the rail trying to catch his breath, looking up at his blonde erratic woman, she was still several steps ahead of him. "Yes…Now leave the books there. _I_ will pick them up."

"But you're all the way down there." She complained. "You know what, I'm just going to—"

Blaise swore as he saw his moon's eyes widen horribly. Luna was known for many things. One of those was her balance. The blonde never lost her balance. The mere fact that at the moment she wasn't even carrying anything, made the thought of her losing her balance more unlikely. But there she was, swaying, trying desperately to stay on the step as if someone had pushed her, but Blaise had been watching her the whole time – no one had.

Luna's eyed jammed shut as she pitched face-forward. She hit the stairs on her right side with a loud thump and kept stumbling forward. Blaise sprang up and caught her, but she was rolling forward with too much momentum, he tumbled down with her.

They landed at the foot of the stairs with a hard thwack. Luna was lying on top of him breathing raggedly; he was lying up his back to the floor, also breathing raggedly. He was about to ask if she was fine when he noticed the spear of the statue seemed to slide downward.

He wrapped his arms around her and turned over – away from the statue, so that he was on top of _her_ now, and they were NOT at the foot of the staircase.

The pointy spear hit the floor where they'd been not one second ago with a loud clanging sound.

Blaise rolled off of her and looked at the area the spear had hit. There was a large crack on the floor. Blaise groaned, he felt sore everywhere and knew he'd be covered in bruises the next morning. If whoever it was didn't manage to kill Luna, they would surely kill _him_ second-hand. He looked back at the blonde Ravenclaw.

She sat up carefully, pain evident on her face. Her eyes were wide, her blonde hair was sticking to her face and scrambled about everywhere, and her breathing rash and spacey.

Blaise watched her expression. "Are you alright?" she didn't seem to be wounded, but who knows.

Her mouth opened but she said nothing.

"Are you alright?" He repeated.

"Alright?" She squeaked. "Alright!" She scrambled up from the floor and started jumping up and down stomping on the floor like a little child throwing a tantrum. "This is the third time someone's tried to kill me! _And_," She screamed, "they almost succeeded this time. Plus I bet if I tell someone they still won't believe me! Not, I am most definitely _not_ alright."

He edged away, a bit. "Stupid question." He ruffled his hair, and watched her, afraid she'd explode again. The blonde settling angrily onto the marble floor. "I believe you." He said to her.

"Why do people want to kill me? I didn't do anything!"

An excellent question Blaise figured. Why bother trying to kill the blonde creature? She was already accident prone enough; killing her took the entire sport out of murder. Although, of course having him always watching her probably made it more fun for the sicko…Nonetheless, if you were going to kill someone it would only be sporting to pick on someone who wasn't quite a deficient as Luna was into getting into horrible predicaments on all her own.

Life, just plain sucked.

xXxXx

"I know you're here." Som called carefully. He was crawling around in the inside of Hogwarts ceiling. It really was rather uncomfortable. Bits of piping and insulation prodded him every now and then as he made his way around the area. "Come on out, Daeyll. I think it's about time we talked. We haven't seen each other in ages…"

"Trying to capture me, Som?" A haughty voice sang. Som couldn't figure out which direction it seemed to come from. "I was always the more talented one. I still am. You can't _beat_ me. I even got the better form."

True to his words, Daeyll did have a better form on earth. Som'd always resent that. Som had been deemed the more threatening spirit, so he was given a useless form and Daeyll a good one. Some spirits overlords they were, they couldn't even separate fact from fiction. "You need to stop." Som warned. "You're going to hurt her."

"That's the point, old pal! What fun would it be if I left her intact?"

"You haven't even given her the chance to give it to you."

"I never intended to. The warnings? A ruse, just for theatrics. I was always going to kill her. Just like I did with your last owner."

Som scowled. "It won't work, Daeyll, quit while you're ahead."

Daeyll chuckled. Some felt a thin needle dig into his skin. Poison. Som's body felt shaky, he flopped down, barely conscious.

"Knockout potion." Daeyll chuckled. His Animagus form appearing before him. A furry hamster before him. "Some interesting witches gave it to me. I don't want you dead just yet. I want to see you in pain, as I kill this one too.

"You always did get the short end of the stick."

"If you hurt her, I'll kill you. Old friends or not." Som's eyes closed slowly.

"As if you could. I will always be the smarter and stronger one."

xXxXx

Luna was sitting in McGonagall's office, her hair a mess, bruises _everywhere_, cuts and scrapes all over her body and fragile skin, and her pale legs swinging in the chair she was seated in. She was humming a lullaby and twirling a strand of her blonde hair in her right hand. Luna was calmly waiting for the Transfiguration professor to come back in.

McGonagall walked back in, trailed by a sheepish Ginny Weasley.

Ginny's face was flushed and her hair was all messed up.

"'Ello, Gin." Luna sang.

Ginny mumbled in greeting.

McGonagall pursed her lips. "You are in trouble, Lovegood, you shouldn't be _happy_!"

"When it comes down to it, I'm really not, McGonagall. Especially since I'm in _your_ office. I _really_ don't like you, you know. But I happen to believe there is no good excuse for bad manners. You have to greet people."

"You didn't greet me." McGonagall pointed out.

"I don't like you. A greeting would be wasted on someone I dislike. It might after all come out more like an insult…"

McGonagall sighed. "Just…detention, okay? Three days worth. You too, Miss Weasley."

"What'd you do, Gin?" Luna asked as she walked out of McGonagall's office.

"Improper display of affection." Ginny chanted.

"So why isn't Draco in trouble?"

"Snape's punishing him."

"Ah."

Ginny looked at the blonde. "What did you do?"

"Rather loud temper tantrum. Someone tried to kill me again, so I tore apart a statue, yelled at some first years, set fire some poor kid's books, cussed at McGonagall…You know, nothing that would _really_ merit me getting detention." Luna ticked off all the points on her fingers. "Rather innocent actions if you ask me."

Ginny couldn't help but chuckle.


End file.
